What Are Drunken Noodles? The Thai Dish That Newsflash: Doesn't Actually Include Any Booze
Meet the delicious cousin to Pad Thai.
Che John
The first time I ever had drunken noodles was at this dim sum place in Philadelphia's Chinatown. I ordered my favorite spread of soup dumplings, shrimp dumplings, and turnip cakes. I decided to order a side of what they called drunken noodles. I wasn't surprised to learn that it is a very comforting and delicious dish that seems so simple. If you ever order drunken noodles you will come to realize that it resembles Pad Thai. No it's not Pad Thai, but they share similarities, but it makes you wonder: What exactly are drunken noodles?
What Are Drunken Noodles?
The Thai dish also known as pad kee mao, consists of wide rice noodles, an array of vegetables, meat (or plant-based alternatives), soy sauce, fish sauce, garlic, and chili peppers. This combination of ingredients and flavors is a like party in your mouth. It's spicy, sweet, salty, and has pops of umami.
Now if you're anything like me and a frequent Thai restaurant diner, you may think that this dish sounds eerily similar to another Thai favorite, pad see ew. Now pad see ew has a similar ingredient profile as drunken noodles, but there are a couple of differences. For one, drunken noodles are spicier while pad see ew is on the sweeter and saltier side. Drunken noodles also tend to have a wider variety of vegetables rather than pad see ew's reliance on Chinese broccoli and mushrooms.
Why Are Drunken Noodles Called Drunken Noodles?
This dish originated in central region of Thailand. Like many coveted dishes, this dish's naming rights are highly debated. The two most common reasons for its name is that it's a good meal with an ice-cold beer, and that it's a good hangover cure. Others include its inventor creating the dish during a drunken night, or wine being a former possible ingredient. One thing for sure is that it's actual name is pad kee mao, which loosely translates to "stir-fried drunkard."
How To Make Drunken Noodles
Want to know how to make this dish, we have you covered! The first thing you are going to do is soak your rice noodles in water for about ten minutes, until tender. The key is to never over soak them because they'll be cooked later in the process, which could result in mushy noodles. Then you simply whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a bowl. Once your pan is hot, add your garlic, and shallots, and cook until translucent. Add your protein and cook, stirring, until tender. Add the remaining vegetables and sauce and let simmer. Add your pre-soaked noodles at the end and toss to mix. This dish is simple, quick, and will be the perfect weeknight dinner regardless of any hangovers. While you're at it, grab a cold beer to wash it all down.
Read the original article on All Recipes.
