Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)
Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao, ผัดขี้เมา) is a popular Thai stir-fry dish known for its bold and complex flavors. The name “drunken noodles” is said to be a playful reference to the dish’s spicy kick, which could be the perfect pairing after a night of drinking, though it’s just as satisfying without alcohol. The dish features wide rice noodles stir-fried with a variety of vegetables, proteins (like chicken, pork, or shrimp), and a deliciously spicy sauce that packs a punch. The unique combination of savory, spicy, and slightly sweet flavors makes Pad Kee Mao a favorite among Thai food lovers worldwide.
Ingredients
- Noodles
- 7 oz /200g dried rice noodles wide (Note 1)
- Stir Fry
- 2 tbsp oil peanut, vegetable or canola
- 3 large cloves of garlic minced
- 2 birds eye chilli or Thai chillies deseeded, very finely chopped (Note 2)
- 1/2 onion sliced
- 200 g /7oz chicken thighs cut into bite size pieces (breast ok too)
- 2 tsp fish sauce or soy sauce
- 2 green onions cut into 3cm/2" pieces
- 1 cup Thai or Thai Holy Basil leaves sub regular basil, Note 3
- Sauce
- 3 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce Note 4
- 1 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce Note 4
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Prepare noodles per packet directions.
- Mix Sauce in a small bowl.
- Heat oil in wok or large heavy based skillet over high heat.
- Add garlic and chilli and cook for 10 seconds. Don't inhale - the chilli will make you cough!
- Add onion, cook for 1 minute.
- Add chicken and fish sauce, and fry until cooked, around 2 minutes.
- Add green onion, noodles and sauce and cook for 1 minute until the sauce reduces and coats the noodles.
- Remove from heat and immediately add basil, toss until just wilted, then serve immediately.
Notes
1. Wide rice noodles - use wide ones and prepare per packet. I use ones labelled as "Pad Thai" rice noodles (see in post, here it is at Woolworths). Fine to use thinner ones if you can't find wide ones.
2. Chilli - 2 birds eye or Thai chillies gives this a nice buzz of spice but won't blow your head off! Feel free to adjust to your taste. Can also use a dollop of chilli paste instead - add it with the chicken.
3. Thai Basil - tastes like regular basil with slight aniseed flavour. Traditionally made with Thai Holy Basil which tastes like regular basil but most restaurants outside Thailand use regular Thai Basil (easier to find, sold at Harris Farms and some Woolies, Coles in Australia).
Substitute with regular basil (it tastes like Drunken Noodles in Thailand!)
4. Soy Sauce - both light and dark soy sauce can be substituted with all purpose soy sauce (ie soy sauce that is just labelled "soy sauce" without "dark" or "light" or "sweet" in front of it).
Can also sub the dark soy with more light soy.
DO NOT use all dark soy sauce - will be far too strong.
5. Nutrition per serving, assuming 3 servings.