If you love Thai food like I do, then you probably had this before. If not, get ready to have your mind blown by how easy and delicious this fried noodle dish is. If you’re a fan of Thai cuisine, then you’ve probably heard of Drunken Noodles. This iconic dish, Pad Kee Mao in Thailand, is a delightful combination of wide rice noodles, fresh vegetables, and a spicy sauce that will tantalize your taste buds. In this blog post, we’ll take you through an authentic recipe for Drunken Noodles, providing you with all the necessary steps to create a mouthwatering masterpiece in your kitchen.
Holy Basil is what was originally used in this dish. That is a little harder to find even at your local Asian grocery store. Can’t find that either? Using Thai Basil is what I used in this dish. No Thai Basil either? Don’t be discouraged! Italian Basil will work too!
Wherever the origin of this dish was from, Thank you for this heavenly sent noodle dish.
Fresh flat rice noodles can be found at your local Asian store, however, if you can’t get your hands on that using any dried rice noodles will do. Soak the noodles in warm water for 30 minutes before cooking. Still can’t find rice noodles? Use linguini or fettuccini! I don’t want you to miss out on this meal because you can’t find certain ingredients.
Like many different types of stir-fry, you want all your ingredients ready to go. The cooking process goes by very fast. Therefore, having it lined up will help make sure everything goes smoothly.
I want to share with you guys my take on the infamous drunken noodle! Let’s get cooking!
Questions and Answers
- Can I make Drunken Noodles without rice noodles? While rice noodles are traditionally used in Drunken Noodles, you can experiment with other types of noodles, such as udon or soba noodles, if you prefer. Just keep in mind that the texture and taste may vary slightly.
- How can I adjust the spiciness of the dish? To control the spiciness, you can increase or decrease the amount of Thai chilies used. If you prefer a milder version, you can even omit the chilies altogether and add a sprinkle of chili flakes at the end for a hint of heat.
- Can I substitute the protein in the recipe? Absolutely! The recipe is versatile, allowing you to choose your protein preference. Chicken, beef, shrimp, or tofu work well, but you can also use other seafood or even a combination of different proteins.
- Is it necessary to use Thai basil? Thai basil adds a unique flavor profile to the dish, but if you can’t find it, regular basil can be used as a substitute. However, the taste will differ slightly.
- Can I make Drunken Noodles vegetarian or vegan? Certainly! If you’re following a vegetarian or vegan diet, you can replace the protein with tofu or tempeh and use vegetarian oyster sauce or soy sauce instead of fish sauce. Ensure you check the ingredients on your sauces to confirm they are suitable for your dietary needs.
Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)
- Total Time: 20 min
- Yield: 2-3 servings 1x
Description
Soft and chewy flat noodles meets sweet, spicy and savory flavors! Your stomach will do a happy dance with the amount of satisfaction it will receive off of this meal.
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp sweet soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp palm sugar or honey
- 1/2 of salt
- pinch of black pepper
For the noodles:
- 1/2 pound of thinly sliced chicken (seasoned with salt & pepper)
- 1 pound of fresh flat rice noodles or dried rice noodles
- 3 garlic cloves smashed
- 1 serrano pepper
- 3 Thai Chili Peppers
- 1 Roma tomato, cut in wedges
- half onion, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves finely mined
- 2 stalks of green onions cut in 2 inch length
- handful of Thai Basil
Instructions
- Whisk together the sauce mixture in a bowl and set aside.
- On high heat, add cooking oil and sear your chicken. 3-4 minutes on one side. Add garlic to enhance the flavor. Flip the chicken and sear for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Add all your vegetables besides Thai Basil. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes
- Toss in noodles and stir fry all the ingredients together.
- Throw in 3/4th of the Thai Basil and sauce mixture. Let the noodles absorb all the sauce. Your noodles shouldn’t have a lot of liquid. The dish is more on the dryer side. Stir fry for about 2-3 minutes.
- Turn off heat, and add remaining Thai Basil. Toss together one more time and plate. Serve immediately while hot! ENJOY!
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 15min
- Category: Noodles
- Method: stove top, wok
- Cuisine: Asian
Keywords: Pad Kee Mao, drunken noodles, flat noodles, noodles, quick and easy, lunch, dinner, entre, basil
