Matt Xiaxiang
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Main dishesPad kee mao (drunken noodles)
Posted: 07/10/2024Updated: 07/10/2024
Thai street food combines wide rice noodles, crisp vegetables, and tender chicken, all tossed in a fragrant sauce of chilli, garlic, and Thai basil.
Ingredients
Servings
- 600 grams Boneless and skinless chicken thighs
- 1 medium Brown onion
- 1 large Red bell pepper
- 150 grams Gai lan (chinese broccoli)
- 100 grams Baby corn
- 400 grams Fresh rice noodle sheets
- 1 handful Thai basil
- 3 small Red chillies
- 2 small Thai chillies
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 2 tablespoons Light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons Oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon Palm sugar
- 3 tablespoons Neutral oil
Instructions
- Start by preparing the vegetables. Separate the stem and leaves of the gai lan and cut into small pieces. Julienne the red bell pepper and brown onion, and halve the baby corn.
- To make the sauce, mix together the light and dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce and shaved palm sugar.
- Cut the fresh rice noodle sheets into 1.5cm to 2cm wide pieces. Separate each layer and set aside.
- In a pestle and mortar, add roughly chopped red and Thai chillies along with the garlic. Pound the ingredients together until a paste is formed.
- Slice the chicken thighs into small pieces. Heat a pan on medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of neutral oil. Once hot, add the chicken thighs and fry for 4-6 minutes until cooked throughout. Season with salt to taste. Set aside.
- Using the fat released from the chicken and another tablespoon of neutral oil, fry the garlic and chilli paste for 2-3 minutes on medium heat until fragrant. Add the baby corn and gai lan stems giving them time to soften - 2 minutes.
- Add the julienned brown onion and red bell pepper and cook for another couple minutes before re-adding the chicken, fresh rice noodles and the sauce. Mix carefully ensuring the sauce coats everything.
- In the last minute of cooking, add the leaves of the gai lan along with the Thai basil. Cook until both have wilted and are incorporated into the dish.
My notes
Cooking tips
- Cooking the chicken: To maximise the flavour and texture of the chicken, it must be cut into small pieces that cook quickly on a high heat. This helps to lock in moisture keeping it juicy while allowing it to caramelise to develop flavour. Cook in batches to prevent the chicken from steaming.
- Garlic and chilli paste: For the best results use a pestle and mortar, however if not available, very finely mince the garlic and chillies together.
- Cooking the noodles: Ensure you only add the noodles towards the end as this will prevent them from overcooking. Overcooked rice noodles become very sticky and mushy.
Alternative ingredients
- Swap chicken thighs with chicken breasts for a leaner option, or use another protein such as prawns or steak. Use tofu for a vegetarian version.
- An alternative to gai lan can be tenderstem broccoli, spinach or bok choy.
- Use brown sugar if you don’t have palm sugar.
- Dried rice noodles can also be used instead of fresh rice noodle sheets. Dried rice noodles must be soaked in boiling water for about 10 minutes until softened.
Storage instructions
- Refrigeration: Store in an airtight container in the fridge. It can be safely stored for up 3-4 days.
- Freezing: Wait until fully cooled as otherwise this can affect the texture. Place it in a freezer-safe container or bag, making sure to remove as much air as possible to prevent freezer burn. It can be frozen for up to 2 months.
Re-heating instructions
If re-heating from frozen, ensure it has fully defrosted whether that is overnight in the fridge out in the microwave on the defrost setting.
- Microwave: To quickly re-heat, heat on medium power for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through to ensure even heating. Adjust the time depending on the microwave's power and portion size.
- Stove: Re-heat on the stove over medium heat. Add a little water to loosen the sauce and cook until hot throughout.
Nutrition and dietary facts
(Per serving) Calories: 639kcal (28%), Protein: 45.1g (75%), Fat: 23.5g (29%), Saturated fat: 6g (40%), Carbohydrates: 40.6g (15%), Sugars: 9.6g (38%), Fibre: 2g (7%)
Note: The nutritional information provided for this recipe is an estimate based on ingredients and cooking instructions as described - it is intended for informational purposes only.