Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao Sen Yai): ผัดขี้เมาเส้นใหญ่
Drunken Noodles, or Pad Kee Mao, is a popular Thai dish known for its bold and spicy flavors. This stir-fried noodle dish features wide rice noodles cooked with fresh herbs, chilies, and a variety of vegetables. The secret to a great Pad Kee Mao is using high-quality ingredients and balancing the spices to create a fragrant and satisfying meal.
Ingredients:
- 100 g meat (chicken, pork, prawn) or tofu (for vegetarian)
- 1 egg
- Big flat rice noodles
- Holy basil or sweet basil
- Fresh peppercorns
- Red peppers or chilies
- Chinese kale
- Any additional vegetables (e.g., carrots, baby corn)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- Black pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
- Prepare the Noodles:
- In a bowl, mix the big flat noodles with dark soy sauce until well coated. Set aside.
- Prepare Aromatics:
- Pound the chilies and garlic together until coarsely crushed.
- Cook Garlic:
- Heat cooking oil in a frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the crushed garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.
- Add Protein:
- Add your choice of meat or tofu and stir-fry until cooked through. If using hard vegetables like carrots and baby corn, add them now and cook until they are tender. If you don’t have hard vegetables, you can add the egg at this point.
- Combine Noodles:
- Add the prepared noodles to the pan along with fresh peppercorns. Season with sugar, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir-fry everything together until well combined.
- Add Greens and Herbs:
- Toss in the Chinese kale and mix well. Then add holy basil (or sweet basil) and red peppers or chilies. Stir all the ingredients together until everything is cooked through.
- Serve:
- Once fully cooked, sprinkle with black pepper to taste and scoop the mixture into a serving container.
Tips for Making Stir-Fried Noodles:
- Choosing Noodles: Select thick, oily noodles that are freshly made to ensure quality.
- Cooking Technique: Roast the noodles on a hot pan to enhance their flavor and remove any oily residue.
- Oil Usage: Use fresh oil for stir-frying to avoid any lingering smells from previous dishes.
- Peppers: Use both paprika and chili peppers to add both spice and color to the dish.
Note:
Pad Kee Mao has a sweet and spicy flavor profile. If you enjoy a little sourness, squeeze some lime juice on top before serving. For a vegan or vegetarian option, replace any meat with tofu or increase the amount of vegetables to your liking.