This is an authentic Drunken Noodles recipe, also known as Pad Kee Mao or Drunkard Noodles, that is on the table in 20 minutes, perfect for a quick and easy weeknight dinner! I show you how to make it with fresh and dried rice noodles. (If you can't take spice, I have tips on how to make this Thai food dish less spicy.)
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โญ Why This Recipe is a Star
- Easy and delicious: The less famous cousin of Pad Thai, Pad Kee Mao เธเธฑเธเธเธตเนเนเธกเธฒ is so scrumptious, I ate it several times a week when my Dad lived in Thailand! (For over 20 years.) This is an authentic Drunken Noodles recipe, put together from the advice of all the chefs I spoke to in Thailand. (If you want an easy version, which offers substitutes for all the harder-to-find Thai ingredients, click here.)
- Fast: this Spicy Thai noodles can be on the table in 20 minutes, if you use fresh rice noodles. (Dried rice noodles will add about 10 minutes to the cook time, as you'll need to soak them before using.)
- Made to taste: There is no alcohol in the authentic Thai recipe and the name is believed to be derived from the fact that the sweet and savory sauce is so spicy, it'll cure any hangover! For those of you who don't take spice, making your own allows you to tone down the heat! (See "Ingredients" for more tips on this.) You can also switch up the ground pork I used for chicken thigh or even leftover Thanksgiving turkey! (Just make sure it's not a clashing flavor.)
What are Thai Drunken Noodles?
This Thai noodle dish is believed to have started as a stir-fry dish without any noodles in it. Its Thai name literally means "Drunken Stir Fry," as Kee Mao means Drunkard and Pad means stir fry.
๐ฅ Ingredients
The basic ingredients for this Pad Kee Mao recipe are:
- rice noodles: Traditionally, the dish is made with kuaitiao sen yai (thick and broad rice noodles.) You can find this in fresh and dried form at Asian markets. For the fresh version, which I use, go to the chiller section of the Asian market. Dry rice noodles are more widely available- you'll need to soak the noodles in hot water till pliable. This will take about 10-20 minutes. (We don't boil the wide rice noodles to keep them al-dente when stir-frying.) I also show you how to use pasta noodle as a substitute in this easy Drunken Noodles recipe.
- Fresh garlic: peel and pound this into a thick paste, together with the red chilies. To be super authentic, get Thai garlic- and not the more common China garlic- frmo the Thai supermarket. You can also add coriander root (substitute: coriander stems) and grachai (fingerroot) if you like. (The easy version linked above skips the cumbersome pounding process.) Do not, by any means, substitute with garlic powder!
- Fresh red chilies: In Thailand, they obviously use Thai red chilies. However, prik kee noo suan (mouse shit chilies) are pretty hot, so I recommend using large red Thai chilies if you can get them or red spur chilies. (All the spice is in the seeds and membrane, so remove those if you prefer it less spicy.) As a last resort, chili paste works too. Remember not to touch your eyes after touching chilies.
- Holy Basil: Holy Basil, or Gra Pao, is what's used in Thailand but it's hard to find outside of the country. You can use Thai Basil as a substitute but I don't really recommend Italian Basil. If, like me, you have problems getting or growing Asian herbs, I HIGHLY recommend the 3-step, Click and Grow indoor gardening set. I had actually planned to share this recipe 1 year ago (!!!) but never got round to it because I lacked the herbs, then Click and Grow sent me the kit and, within a month, I had all the herbs I needed! (Yes, they sent me the kit for free, but I LOVE the system so much, I'm buying another kit!!)
- vegetables: traditionally, Chinese broccoli, fresh peppercorns and baby corn are used. (I left out baby corn as I'm not the biggest fan of it and omitted fresh peppercorns as I couldn't get them.) However, you can also substitute for chye sim, bok choy, red bell peppers and carrots. Cut the leafy greens in 1.5-inch pieces, separating the stalks from the leaves, as they have different cooking times.
- ground pork: you can substitute with sliced pork, chicken, seafood and stir-fried beef. If vegan, use firm tofu (not soft!)
For the sauce, you will need:
- Oyster Sauce: Use Thai brands for all of the sauces, if you want the most authentic flavor (as different brands have different formulations.) There is a vegan version made from mushrooms.
- Fish Sauce: if vegan, substitute with light soy sauce (but the flavor will be less authentic.)
- Black Soy Sauce: you can get this at the Thai supermarket. Substitute with dark soy sauce or sweet soy sauce.
- Light Soy Sauce: You can substitute this with tamari if GF, or fish sauce.
- Golden Mountain Sauce: this is 1 of the ingredients that makes it taste like what you had in Thailand! Again, it's available at the Thai market.
- Palm Sugar: this is from the Asian grocery store. It usually comes in blocks so you will need to grate the amount you want. To substitute, use white sugar or brown sugar.
- Chicken stock: if the noodles feel too dry when stir-frying, add some chicken stock. If the chicken stock is seasoned, you may need to use less soy sauce. Use vegetable stock if on a plant-based diet.
- Fresh lime: Adding freshly squeezed lime to the cooked noodles makes the flavor so much better. If you don't have any on hand, add 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar or tamarind juice to the oyster-soy-golden mountain sauce mixture.
Tip: You can also use the sauce above to make fried rice, or a stir-fry vegetable and meat dish, without adding noodles.
How to Make the Noodles Less Spicy
I used 4 red chilies, which I find pretty milk, but I do like my spice! If you don't, you can make the noodles less spicy by:
- using large chilies instead of small ones
- using less chilies
- removing the seeds and membrane inside the chili (Wear gloves and don't touch your eyes after that!)
- having a dairy-drink, like pandan milk. It's not traditional but yogurt and dairy does help to reduce spice.
If you add more chilies to make the dish spicier, you may need to adjust the seasoning and use more sugar and sauce, to balance out the taste.
๐ช Step-by-Step Instructions
Remove the ground pork from the fridge. (We want it to be at room temperature before it hits the pan, but don't leave it out too long, for food safety.)
1a. If using dried rice noodles: soak in hot water for 10-20 minutes till soft.
1b. If using fresh noodles: these are usually a bit sticky. Give them a quick rinse in a metal colander to wash off excess starch, then leave them to drain over a large bowl. Do NOT soak or boil. We want them al dente!
2a. Cut the rinsed chilies into 1 inch pieces
2b. Next, pound with the garlic in a granite mortar and pestle. (The ceramic ones don't work well for pounding Asian pastes.) If the chilies are proving stubborn, add a pinch of coarse sand to help break it down. (Remember to reduce your seasoning later if you do so.)
Note: remove the seeds if you don't want the chilies to be so spicy.
3a. Mix the oyster sauce, fish sauce, light soy sauce, golden mountain sauce, black soy sauce and palm sugar in a small bowl, then leave to the side.
3b. Heat a large skillet or wok over as high heat as possible. (Since we're doing an authentic version, it's all about the charred flavor. You'll need to be quick when stir-frying though. Also remember to use a vegetable oil with a high smoke point and not olive oil.)
3c. Once the oil is shimmering (but don't let it get so hot that it smokes), add the chili and garlic paste. Stir-fry till fragrant for 30 seconds to a minute, depending on how hot your fire is. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
4. Add the ground pork, use the spatula to break up any clumps and stir-fry quickly.
Note: If using leftover chicken or other cooked protein instead of raw pork, add it at the end, to prevent overcooking- cooked meat will only need reheating.)
5a. Add the vegetable stems first, as they take longer to cook then the leaves.
5b. Stir-fry till the stems have softened slightly. They should also have changed color.
Note: If the noodles feel dry at any point- I'm pretty sure they will because most of us don't stir-fry quickly enough- add some water or unseasoned chicken stock to loosen things up.
6a. Add the vegetables leaves and stir-fry till the vegetables have wilted.
This will be quicker than the stems.
7. Add the drained rice noodles to the wok and stir quickly.
Note: remember to add water or chicken broth when the noodles feel dry!
8a. Add the sauce mixture from Step 3 and stir till everything is coated.
8b. Stir in the holy basil leaves, then switch off the fire and plate. (We want the fresh basil to be only slightly wilted, so the flavor is till fresh.)
Squeeze 1 lime over the noodles and garnish with coriander leaves, sliced green onion, fried garlic or fried shallots.
๐ฅก How to Store
Store any extra noodles in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-3 days.
To re-heat, stir-fry in a pan or heat in the microwave. Add a few tablespoons of water or broth to keep the noodles moist.
๐ญ Expert Tips
Tip #1: Add a few fresh Holy Basi leaves to the noodles after plating. The varying shades of green make the noodles look more appetizing.
๐ฅ Suggested Accompanying Recipes
Here are some good side dishes to serve with noodles:
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Authentic Drunken Noodles Recipe (Pad Kee Mao)
Equipment
- mortar and pestle Substitute: blender
Ingredients
- 15 oz fresh rice noodles also known asย kuaitiao sen yai. You can find this in the chiller section of the Asian supermarket. If substituting with dried rice noodles, use approximately half the amount (so 7.5 oz), give or take. The dried noodles will expand after soaking.
- 6 large cloves Fresh garlic To be super authentic, get Thai garlic. You can also add coriander root (substitute: coriander stems) andย grachaiย (fingerroot) if you like. Do not, by any means, substitute with garlic powder!
- 3 Fresh red chilies If you can take the heat, use ย prik kee noo suanย (mouse shit chilies.) If not use, large red Thai chilies or red spur chilies. See post on how to reduce spiciness. Substitute: chili paste
- 1 Cup Holy Basil leaves Or to taste. also known as Gra Pao. You can grow your own with the 3-step,ย Click and Grow indoor gardening set. Substitute: Thai basil.
- 10 oz Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan) Any dark leafy veg would work- I used Chye sim for the photos above as it was on offer! Cut the leafy greens in 1.5-inch pieces, separating the stalks from the leaves, as they have different cooking times.ground pork: you can substitute with sliced pork, chicken, seafood and stir-fried beef. If vegan, use firm tofu (not soft!)ย
For the Sauce (Use Thai brands to make it really taste authentic.)
- 3 Tablespoons Oyster Sauce There is a vegan version made from mushrooms.
- 3 Tablespoons Fish Sauce if vegan, substitute with light soy sauce (but the flavor will be less authentic.)ย
- 3 teaspoons Black Soy Sauce Substitute:ย dark soy sauce or sweet soy sauce.
- ยฝ teaspoon Light Soy Sauce You can substitute this with tamari if GF, or fish sauce.
- ยฝ teaspoon Golden Mountain Sauce Secret Thai ingredient to make it taste like what you had in Thailand. If you don't have it, just substitute with light soy sauce.
- 4 teaspoons Palm Sugar This usually comes in blocks so you will need to grate the amount you want. Substitute: white sugar orย brown sugar.
- 4-8 Tablespoons Chicken stock Preferably unseasoned, if not you may need to adjust the amount of sauce added. Substitute: vegetable stock or water
- 2 Fresh lime 1 to squeeze over the cooked noodles and 1 cut into wedges as garnish. If you don't have any on hand, add 1 teaspoon of rice vinegar or tamarind juice to the oyster-soy-golden mountain sauce mixture.
Instructions
- Remove the ground pork from the fridge. (We want it to be at room temperature before it hits the pan, but don't leave it out too long, for food safety.)
- If using dried rice noodles: soak in hot water for 10-20 minutes till soft.If using fresh noodles: these are usually a bit sticky. Give them a quick rinse in a metal colander to wash off excess starch, then leave them to drain over a large bowl.ย Do NOT soak or boil.ย We want them al dente!
- Cut the rinsed chilies into 1 inch pieces. Next, pound with the garlic in a granite mortar and pestle. If the chilies are proving stubborn, add a pinch of coarse sand to help break it down. (Remember to reduce your seasoning later if you do so.)Note: remove the seeds if you don't want the chilies to be so spicy.
- Mix the oyster sauce, fish sauce, light soy sauce, golden mountain sauce, black soy sauce and palm sugar in a small bowl, then leave to the side.
Stir-frying
- Heat a large skillet or wok over as high heat as possible.
- Once the oil is shimmering (but don't let it get so hot that it smokes), add the chili and garlic paste. Stir-fry till fragrant for 30 seconds to a minute, depending on how hot your fire is. Be careful not to let the garlic burn.
- Add the ground pork, use the spatula to break up any clumps and stir-fry quickly.ย
- Add the vegetable stems first, as they take longer to cook then the leaves. Stir-fry till the stems have softened slightly. They should also have changed color.Note: If the noodles feel dry at any point- I'm pretty sure they will because most of us don't stir-fry quickly enough- add some water or unseasoned chicken stock to loosen things up.
- Add the vegetables leaves and stir-fry till the vegetables have wilted. This will be quicker than the stems.
- Add the drained rice noodles to the wok and stir quickly.Note: remember to add water or chicken broth when the noodles feel dry!
- Add the sauce mixture from before and stir till everything is coated. Stir in the holy basil leaves, then switch off the fire and plate. (We want the fresh basil to be only slightly wilted, so the flavor is till fresh.)
- Squeeze 1 lime over the noodles and garnish with coriander leaves, sliced green onion, fried garlic or fried shallots. Enjoy!
Notes
Note: the nutritional information is an estimate automatically calculated using the WPRM recipe maker and I am not responsible for its veracity.
Nutrition
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