There are several theories as to how this spicy dish (Pad Keep Mao) earned the name Drunken Noodles. Some claim that the spicy, salty, starchy dish is the perfect cure for a hangover. Other stories hail the noodle dish as the perfect accompaniment to Thai beer.
A favorite beer variety here, Chang, is known as having a higher than typical alcohol concentration. A bowl of spicy drunken noodles could just the right dish to punctuate the end of an evening finding your way to the bottom one too many Chang beers.
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Whatever the reason, this Chinese influenced dish has become a big hit in Thailand. And it cooks up in about 30 minutes. No word on how long it takes to work on your hangover, but if you have a story, I’d love to hear it.
In this version I use lean pork, but you can substitute chicken, beef, or seafood. You can add more vegetables and substitute mushroom sauce for the oyster sauce and use more soy sauce instead of fish sauce for a vegetarian version
Here are some additional Asian inspired recipes you might enjoy!
Thai Drunken Noodles - Pad Kee Mao
Thai Drunken Noodles - Pad Kee Mao are said to be the perfect hangover cure. But don't wait until you overindulge to try these addictive spicy noodles.
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb (.22 kg) lean pork cut into thin 1" slices
- 1“ 3 Red Birds Eye Chilies cut into thirds
- 1 Long Thai Red Chile, sliced on the diagonal Substitute 1/4 sliced bell pepper if unable to locate long Chilies
- 6 Cloves Chopped Garlic
- 1/2 Sweet White Onion, Sliced thin
- 1 Large Carrot, cut into thin rounds
- 5 Button Mushrooms, washed and cut in half
- 1 Cup (20 g) Thai Basil Leaves
- 6 Baby Corn, Cut on the Diagonal
- 1/4 Cup (25 g) Green Onions, Diced
- 1 Tablespoon (12.5 g) White Sugar
- 3 Tablespoon (45 ml) Oyster Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) Nam Pla, fish Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Soy Sauce
- 4 Tablespoons (60 ml) Vegetable Oil
- 226 Grams or 1/2 lb Broad Rice Noodles, pre-soaked in warm water per package directions (5 - 20 minutes) until al dente.
Instructions
- Method
- Combine the soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar in small bowl with 3 Tablespoons of water. Set aside
- Add the oil garlic and birds eye chilies to a wok or skillet over medium heat and fry until they become aromatic (do not burn the garlic)
- Add the pork and 1/2 of the Thai basil and cook until the pork is almost cooked through
- Add the onion, mushrooms, carrots and corn. Continue to stir until the vegetables are al dente and the chicken is cooked through.
- Add the noodles, sauce, the remaining basil and green onion and continue to cook until the noodles are soft.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 463Total Fat 25gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 19gCholesterol 53mgSodium 1349mgCarbohydrates 41gFiber 6gSugar 13gProtein 21g
Nutritional values are estimates only
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