Gai Pad Med Mamuang (Thai Cashew Chicken)
Quick answer
Gai pad med mamuang is a Thai-Chinese stir-fry that traces its lineage to Chinese cashew chicken but has absorbed Thai seasoning logic - fish sauce replacing salt, oyster...
What makes this special
- Gai Pad Med Mamuang includes cashews fried until crisp and tossed with savory Thai sauces.
- Cashews pre-fried in low oil until crisp all the way through
- Oyster sauce, soy, fish sauce, sugar ratio sets the sweet-salt balance
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Pat 300g chicken thigh dry, then cut it into 2-3cm bite-size pieces so it browns instead of steaming.
- 2 Mix 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp sugar before the pan gets too busy.
- 3 Add 1.5 tbsp cooking oil to a wok or wide pan and heat it well over high heat.
Gai pad med mamuang is a Thai-Chinese stir-fry that traces its lineage to Chinese cashew chicken but has absorbed Thai seasoning logic - fish sauce replacing salt, oyster sauce adding body, and dried chilies providing a gentle background warmth. Bite-sized chicken and roasted cashews are tossed in a blazing wok with dried chilies, onion, and bell pepper; the cashews are pre-fried at low temperature to golden throughout, ensuring they stay crunchy even after joining the wet sauce. The sauce blends oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and sugar, and the ratio among these four determines whether the dish leans sweet, salty, or somewhere in between. As the sauce coats the chicken, it takes on a lacquered sheen, and the cashews' oily richness melts into the glaze, adding a buttery undertone. In Thailand, it is typically served over steamed jasmine rice as a one-plate meal (khao rat kaeng), and its mild heat profile makes it one of the first Thai stir-fries that international visitors order with confidence.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Pat 300g chicken thigh dry, then cut it into 2-3cm bite-size pieces so it browns instead of steaming.
Cut 120g onion and 100g bell pepper into chunky 3cm pieces and keep them separate for quick stir-frying.
- 2Control
Mix 1.5 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp sugar before the pan gets too busy.
Stir until the sugar dissolves well, which helps the sauce coat quickly and reduces scorching during the final toss.
- 3Control
Add 1.5 tbsp cooking oil to a wok or wide pan and heat it well over high heat.
Spread in the chicken, leave it untouched for 30 seconds, then stir-fry 3-4 minutes until the outside turns golden.
- 4Step
Add the onion and bell pepper and keep the heat high for 1-2 minutes.
Stir constantly so the edges turn glossy and slightly softened, but stop before the vegetables collapse and lose their crisp bite.
- 5Control
Lower the heat to medium and pour the mixed sauce around the edge of the pan.
Toss quickly for 30-45 seconds until the chicken looks glossy, but do not reduce the sauce until it turns sticky or dry.
- 6Finish
Add 70g cashew nuts at the very end and raise the heat to high for only 30 seconds.
When a nutty aroma rises and the sauce lightly coats the cashews, turn off the heat and serve immediately.
After the steps
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