Say hello to Drunken Noodles- the fiery, fragrant (and almost vegetarian), saucy noodles from Thailand! This wide flat rice noodles stir fry dish is a close second to Pad Thai in terms of popularity. These Drunken Noodles will definitely take you on a culinary journey to Thailand!
What are Drunken Noodles?
Drunken Noodles, also known as Pad Kee Mao are flat, rice noodles that are stir fried with vegetables, protein and a mélange of sauces. These are very popular noodles from the streets of Thailand! There are a few theories regarding how someone came up with that name. There is not a drop of alcohol in these noodles, and yet they are called “Drunken Noodles”. This merely might be referring to the amount of cooling liquids you will want to consume to beat the heat of these fiery noodles. Another theory is that these noodles were invented after a heavy night of drinking with whatever was available at hand.
Whatever the origin of this maybe, what we have on our hands is a delightfully versatile dish that takes you on a tour of Thailand without a passport! Read on to find out how versatile this dish is (vegan, vegetarian, nut free, dairy free, gluten free are all possible options) and you can actually make it with whatever you have in your fridge and pantry.
My Drunken Noodles has five main components
- The Rice noodles
- The vegetables
- The Protein
- The sauce
- The Garnish
The Noodles
These have to be broad, flat rice noodles. This is the only component I would say is non-negotiable in this dish. I find that fresh rice noodles are available in most Asian supermarkets but if you cannot find fresh noodles, get the package ones and cook them according to the instructions on the packet. Just remember, these cook very quick so you will want to toss them on high heat for only a couple minutes. Also, because these noodles tend to soak up the sauce and dry out quickly, I add the sauce at the very end and serve it up immediately.
The Vegetables
Here is where you can get creative! Add any crunchy vegetable of your choice. The vegetables I have added here are carrots, cabbage, broccoli, red and green onions and shitake mushrooms. Some of the other vegetables you can add are green beans, snow peas, sugar snap peas, cauliflower. Just be mindful of the cook times. No thai dish is truly complete without the basil. I have used thai basil here, you could use holy basil too. If you are unable to find fresh basil, add dried basil leaves but reduce the quantity as dried leaves are more potent than the delicate fresh ones.
I usually stir fry the vegetables on medium to high heat for a few minutes to sweat them without overcooking them to retain the crunch. I also ensure that the vegetables are not chopped too small so that they don’t get overcooked. And, remember to include the very aromatic fresh basil with all your vegetables.
The Protein
The choices here are plenty!! Are you a vegan? Add tofu. Don’t’ like tofu? Add paneer. Eggetarian? Add eggs. Like chicken? Add it! Like shrimp? Feel free. Like more than one protein? Add a combination. The possibilities are truly endless. I have added eggs and shrimp as my protein components.
The Sauce
Sauce is the boss! This is what makes these noodles what they are. Traditionally, fish sauce is one of the main ingredients in the sauce. I have made these noodles both, with and without the fish sauce. You could omit this if you are making vegan, vegetarian versions or simply don’t like it. This time however, I did add the fish sauce. Other components I added were soy sauce (substitute with tamari for a gluten free version), oyster sauce (again, skip it if you are making vegan, vegetarian versions or simply don’t like it.), vegetarian hoisin sauce which I substituted with my homemade tamarind date chutney. This is my little Indian twist on a Thai classic and a chili paste. You could add your favorite hot sauce and/or red chili flakes.
I mix all of this in a bowl at the very start of cooking Drunken Noodles. This gives the sauce a few minutes for all the ingredients to come together. And now, add water to double the sauce, and say hello to a very flavorful sauce that will have sweet, spicy, umami flavors that will start a party in your mouth!
The Garnish
I want to give the garnish a special mention. This is where we make the plate look pretty!! I like to have a crunchy element, so my garnish almost always includes, the green part of the green onions, bean sprouts, more fresh basil, fresh cilantro and a wedge of lime. You could add to eliminate any per your preference but I highly recommend having the lime wedge. You could also add roasted peanuts if you want.
These noodles are so easy to make that I am these will surely become a regular meal in your homes as it is in ours! This is my version of the Drunken Noodles, what’s your favorite combination of vegetables, proteins and garnishes? Do let me know in the comments below. Here is my recipe of the Drunken Noodles:
DRUNKEN NOODLES (PAD KEE MAO)
Ingredients
- 3 cups rice noodles separated and cooked per direction on the package
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 green chilies minced
For the vegetables
- 1/2 a small carrot sliced
- 1/2 cup cabbage sliced
- 1/4 red onion sliced
- 3 green onions sliced
- 4 broccoli florets
- 4 shitake mushrooms quartered
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves roughly torn
For the protein
- 2 eggs beaten
- 12- 15 shrimp cleaned, deveined with heads and tails removed
For the Sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1.5 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp tamarind date chutney or tamarind pulp
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp hot sauce or chili paste
- 1/8 tsp salt
- ½ cup water
For the garnish
- Handful bean sprouts
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves roughly torn
- 2 green onions only the green part-sliced
- ½ lime cut into 3 wedges
Instructions
- In a bowl, add all the ingredients for the sauce. Mix well and set aside.
- Separate the rice noodles (if they are pre-made or cook the rice noodles per the package direction.
- Heat oil in a flat pan and add the garlic and green chilies.
- Add the beaten eggs and scramble till set.
- Add the onions and sauté on high heat for a minute.
- Then add all the remaining vegetables and sauté for a couple minutes.
- Add the shrimp, mix well and continue heating for 2 more minutes.
- To this mixture, add the cooked rice noodles. Toss gently.
- Add the sauce, mix well taking care not to break the noodles (might be a good idea to use tongs here).
- Remove from the heat, plate individual servings and garnish. Serve immediately!