Cooking in
New South Wales
Thai · Thailand
Drunken Noodles
Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) — wide flat rice noodles stir-fried with holy basil, Thai chillies, egg, and oyster sauce at extreme heat. Spicier and more aromatic than Pad See Ew, with a characteristic heat from large fresh chillies and the distinct peppery-clove flavour of holy basil. The name refers not to alcohol content but to the dish being an ideal post-drinking late-night meal.
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I
The Market List
The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.
400g
dried rice noodles
3mm width
Origin · Thailand
300g
pork shoulder
cut into thin strips
Your own market
100g
red capsicum
julienned
Your own market
100g
onion
sliced
Your own market
3 cloves
garlic
minced
Your own market
2
long red chillies
sliced
30ml
fish sauce
Your own market
15ml
lime juice
Your own market
12ml
palm sugar
Origin · Indonesia
25ml
neutral oil
20g
Thai basil leaves
II
The Method
1
Cook rice noodles according to package instructions; drain and set aside.
2
Heat oil in a wok over high heat until wisping; add minced garlic and sliced chilli, fry 30 seconds until fragrant.
3
Add pork strips and stir-fry 4–5 minutes until cooked through.
4
Introduce capsicum and onion; toss continuously for 2 minutes until beginning to soften.
5
Pour in cooked noodles and toss to combine evenly.
6
Season with fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar; toss vigorously over high heat for 1 minute.
From the canon — Fish sauce — nam pla — is the universal salt of the Thai kitchen. Fish Sauce (Nam Pla): Selection and Use →
7
Fold in Thai basil just before plating; serve immediately.
III
Sensory Tests
◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where Drunken Noodles lives or dies is the same as Pad See Ew — the char on the noodles. The wok must be at temperature. The noodles must be room temperature and separated. Press flat, let char, then toss. The holy basil added off heat provides the final aromatic bloom that ties the whole dish together.
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V
What to Pour
The pairing
Sake
From New South Wales
Nothing from New South Wales holds against this yet.
Without alcohol
Traditional
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The whole pairingPillar VI
Origin and lineage are part of membership.
Where the dish comes from and how it came to be — on every recipe.
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The working kitchen