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Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)

Recipe video above. Spicy Thai Noodles, a popular Thai take-out dish from the streets of Thailand! Make sure you have all ingredients ready to toss into the wok as once you start cooking, things happen quickly! Spice level: moderate to high (it's SUPPOSED to be spicy!)

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
16 mins
Servings: 2 -3
Calories: 454 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Thai

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

    Cup of Yum
  1. Prepare noodles per packet directions.
  2. Mix Sauce in a small bowl.
  3. Heat oil in wok or large heavy based skillet over high heat.
  4. Add garlic and chilli and cook for 10 seconds. Don't inhale - the chilli will make you cough!
  5. Add onion, cook for 1 minute. 
  6. Add chicken and fish sauce, and fry until cooked, around 2 minutes.
  7. Add green onion, noodles and sauce and cook for 1 minute until the sauce reduces and coats the noodles.
  8. Remove from heat and immediately add basil, toss until just wilted, then serve immediately.

Notes

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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!)
  • 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.
  • Nutrition per serving, assuming 3 servings.

Nutrition Information

Serving 197g Calories 454cal (23%) Carbohydrates 58.6g (20%) Protein 22.9g (46%) Fat 14.8g (23%) Saturated Fat 2.4g (12%) Polyunsaturated Fat 12.4g Cholesterol 79mg (26%) Sodium 223mg (9%) Fiber 1.5g (6%) Sugar 2.7g (5%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2-3

Amount Per Serving

Calories 454

% Daily Value*

Serving 197g
Calories 454cal 23%
Carbohydrates 58.6g 20%
Protein 22.9g 46%
Fat 14.8g 23%
Saturated Fat 2.4g 12%
Polyunsaturated Fat 12.4g 73%
Cholesterol 79mg 26%
Sodium 223mg 9%
Fiber 1.5g 6%
Sugar 2.7g 5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.