Mama Pad Kee Mao
มาม่าผัดขี้เมา·(mah-mah paht kee mao)
Late-Night Mama Noodles (Thai Dorm Food & Cravings)
Grab a crinkled packet of Mama brand noodles. In the neon-lit university neighborhoods of Bangkok at two a.m., the rhythmic clanging of woks turns cheap ramen into a fiery haze of scorched oil. Mama Pad Kee Mao—Drunken Noodles—is a sweat-inducing collision of fresh basil, a bruised bird's eye chili, and the exact instant the garlic hits the hot oil and snaps. The secret the street vendors know is to soak, never boil, the noodles so they survive the inferno of the wok. Tear open the seasoning packet, toss it all together, and eat it standing right there at the stove.
Before you start
Soak the dry noodle blocks in a bowl of room-temperature water for 10 to 15 minutes.
They should feel pliable but still hold a stiff core. Drain them completely. Do not boil them, or they will turn to mush in the wok.
Pound the garlic and chilies into a rough paste using a mortar and pestle.
If you do not have one, mince them together finely on a cutting board. Smashing releases their essential oils, which forms the soul of the dish.
Whisk the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, fish sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, instant noodle seasoning, and water in a small bowl.
Have this sitting right next to the stove. Wok cooking moves fast, and you will not have time to measure ingredients once the oil is hot.
Ingredients
- instant ramen noodle blocks2 small
- boneless skinless chicken thighs6 oz
- neutral cooking oil1 tbsp
- garlic cloves5 med
- Thai bird's eye chilies3 med
- canned baby corn1/2 cup
- green beans1/2 cup
- red bell pepper1/4 cup
- oyster sauce2 tbsp
- light soy sauce1 tbsp
- fish sauce1 tbsp
- dark soy sauce1/2 tsp
- sugar1 tsp
- instant noodle seasoning powder1/2 tsp
- water2 tbsp
- Italian basil or Thai holy basil1 cup
Method
- 01
Heat the oil in a large wok or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
- 02
Fry the smashed garlic and chili paste in the shimmering oil for about 15 seconds.
Stir quickly until it smells incredibly fragrant. Turn on your exhaust fan—if the chili fumes make you cough, you are doing it right.
- 03
Add the sliced chicken and sear for a minute before tossing.
- 04
Toss in the baby corn, green beans, and bell pepper.
Stir-fry for one minute to blister the vegetables while the chicken finishes cooking.
- 05
Add the drained noodles and the sauce mixture, tossing vigorously.
The noodles will instantly absorb the liquid and finish cooking in the steam. Keep the contents moving for 1 to 2 minutes until the pan looks mostly dry.
- 06
Turn off the heat entirely and fold in the basil.
The residual heat of the pan will perfectly wilt the leaves without destroying their delicate, peppery oils. Serve immediately.
Notes
Use Italian basil instead of Sweet Thai basil if you cannot find Holy Basil.
Sweet Thai basil, which is heavily anise-flavored and common in Western supermarkets, is a poor substitute for authentic Holy Basil (Krapow). Ordinary Italian basil actually mimics the true peppery bite of the homeland much better.
From Cook Thai in America.