Make these easy and quick Thai Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao) in under 30 minutes for a delicious Asian dinner. These can be made vegetarian or with the meat of your choice.
8ouncesdried rice noodles225 g, flat and wide noodles are preferred
2tablespoonsvegetable oil
1teaspoonfinely chopped garlic
2-3Thai bird's eye chilieschopped
¼cupfinely chopped onion
4-5baby cornsliced into quarters
½cupsliced mixed bell peppers
½cupchopped green onions
1cupThai holy basil
For topping
1tablespooncrushed roasted peanuts
1bird's eye chilisliced
2-3Thai basil leaves
Instructions
Stir together the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, ground pepper, and water in a bowl or a measuring cup and set aside.
Notes: You can use 4 teaspoon of all-purpose soy sauce in place of dark and light soy sauce. Skip the fish sauce and oyster sauce for a vegan version.
Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Heat vegetable oil in a wok.
Once the oil is hot, add finely chopped garlic, chopped bird’s-eye chilies, and thinly sliced onion. Sauté for 30 seconds on high heat. Stir continuously to avoid burning.
Now add baby corn, mixed bell peppers, green onion, and Thai holy basil. Sauté for a minute on high heat.
Add the sauce mixture and the cooked noodles to the wok and toss everything well.
You might see a little liquid at the bottom, but it will get absorbed by the noodles in a few minutes. Transfer the noodles to a serving bowl and top with crushed peanuts, sliced chilies, and Thai basil. Serve hot.
Notes
Noodles – Try to get extra-wide rice noodles to make this dish. If you can't, use any that are easily available. You can even use flat pasta like linguine.Chili – Bird's-eye chilies are very hot. While chopping them, wear gloves and wash your hands well with soap after chopping. You can also reduce the amount used in the recipe if you cannot handle the heat.Basil – If Thai holy basil is not available, use the regular Thai basil or Italian basil.Vegan – To make this dish vegan, skip adding fish sauce and oyster sauce.Protein – For a non-vegetarian version, you can add chicken, shrimp, beef, or any other meat to this dish.