If you like Thai cuisine, you probably know drunken noodles, also called pad kee mao. There are a few theories on the origin of the name, but the one I like best is also the simplest: These noodles are perfect after a night of indulgence.
Ingredients
- 100 g wide rice noodles
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil or other neutral oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- ½ carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- ½ green bell pepper, seeded andcut into matchsticks
- 1 or 2 lime wedges, for serving
Sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, sherry, rice vinegar, sake, or mirin
- 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 shallot, coarsely chopped
- 3 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
- 1 shallot, coarsely chopped
- 1 scallion
- 1 small leek (white and green parts), or 1 small bunch fresh chives, chopped, plus 1 scallion (green parts only), cut into 11/2-inch (4cm) lengths, for serving
- 1 red Thai chile pepper (bird’s eye chile), minced
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package instructions until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, then rinse the noodles under cold water to prevent them from cooking further, until they are cold to the touch. Set aside to drain well.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, garlic, sesame oil, ginger, shallot, chopped scallion, and chile. Stir well.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the onion. Cook until translucent, then add the carrot, and bell pepper. Cook for 3 or 4 minutes, then pour in the sauce, most of the scallions, and noodles; mix well to incorporate. Sauté for 1 minute, until the noodles are heated through.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. Place the scallion strips on top. Serve warm with lime wedges.