Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao)

Wide rice noodles tossed with pork, plenty of chilli and garlic, baby corn and a great handful of Thai basil.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 10 min
Total: 30 minutes
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
4 people
Difficulty
Medium

Ingredients

  • 400g fresh wide rice noodles (sen yai), or 250g dried wide rice noodles
  • 350g pork loin, thinly sliced
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 6 bird's eye chillies, roughly chopped
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 100g baby corn, halved lengthways
  • 100g green beans, trimmed and halved
  • 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp caster sugar
  • 2 large handfuls Thai basil leaves

Method

  1. If using fresh noodles, microwave for 30 seconds then gently separate the strands. If using dried noodles, soak in warm water for 30 minutes and drain well.

  2. Mix the oyster sauce, light soy, dark soy, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl.

  3. Pound the garlic and chillies to a rough paste, or chop very finely.

  4. Heat the oil in a wok over the highest heat until smoking. Fry the garlic and chilli paste for 15 seconds, then add the pork and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

  5. Add the onion, baby corn and green beans and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

  6. Add the noodles and sauce and toss for 2 minutes, letting the noodles char slightly against the wok. Add the tomatoes and toss for 30 seconds.

  7. Turn off the heat, fold in the basil until wilted and serve straight away.