Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles)

This dish and Pad see ew (see variation) are both super popular Thai street food dishes known for their smoky flavour and deliciously chewy rice noodles. The combination of light and dark soy sauces stir-fried with Chinese broccoli and meat, often pork or chicken, creates a rich, savoury taste. The only difference between the two is that the pad kee mao stir-fry starts with lots of fiery chilli and finishes with some herbaceous Thai basil, making it an ideal meal to enjoy with a cold drink, hence the nickname ‘drunken noodles’.

SERVES 2

PREP: 10 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

THAI: Anywhere and Everywhere Nat Thaipun

• 200 g (7 oz) wide flat rice noodles (fresh or dried)

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 2–3 birdseye chillies, finely chopped

• 150 g (5½ oz) chicken thigh or pork, thinly sliced (or prawns, seasonal vegetables etc.)

• 1 large egg

• 100 g (3½ oz) Chinese or regular broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces

• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 15 g (½ oz or ½ cup) Thai basil

• white pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Soak the noodles: If using dried noodles, soak them in hot water until softened, then drain.

2.  Cook the meat and garlic: Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add the garlic and chilli and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the sliced meat and stir-fry until just browned.

3. Add the egg: Push the meat to one side of the pan and crack the egg into the empty space. Let it set slightly, then scramble and mix with the meat.

4. Stir-fry the noodles and broccoli: Add the noodles and broccoli, stirring well to combine. Add the dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. Stir-fry for another 2–3 minutes, letting the noodles absorb the sauce and develop a slightly charred, smoky flavour.

5. Serve: Add the Thai basil leaves, stirring until wilted. Sprinkle with white pepper and serve hot, garnished with additional white pepper if desired.

VARIATION — Pad See Ew (Soy Sauce Noodles)

To make Pad see ew, follow the above recipe, but leave out the chillies and Thai basil.

TIP

For an extra smoky flavour, let the noodles sit in the pan without stirring for a few seconds at first to char slightly.

Excerpted with permission from THAI: Anywhere and Everywhere by: Nat Thaipun published by ‎Hardie Grant Publishing, November 2025, RRP $35.00 Hardcover.

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