{ "id": "epe48mqydv", "slug": "drunken-noodles-epe48mqydv", "title": "Drunken noodles (ผัดขี้เมา)", "updated": "2026-10-21", "topic_path": [ { "id": "life", "label": "Life and health", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/life" }, { "id": "life.plants", "label": "Plants and algae", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/life.plants" }, { "id": "life.plants.seed", "label": "Seed plants", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/life.plants.seed" }, { "id": "life.plants.seed.monocots", "label": "Monocots", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/life.plants.seed.monocots" }, { "id": "life.plants.seed.monocots.grass_family_poaceae", "label": "Grass family (Poaceae)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/life.plants.seed.monocots.grass_family_poaceae" }, { "id": "life.plants.seed.monocots.cereal_crops", "label": "Cereal crops", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/life.plants.seed.monocots.cereal_crops" }, { "id": "life.plants.seed.monocots.rice_crop_and_cuisine", "label": "Rice: crop and cuisine", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/life.plants.seed.monocots.rice_crop_and_cuisine" }, { "id": "life.plants.seed.monocots.rice_crop_and_cuisine.rice_noodles", "label": "Rice noodles", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/life.plants.seed.monocots.rice_crop_and_cuisine.rice_noodles" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.asia.t1946.life", "label": "Asia (other) · 1946 to 2000: Life and health", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.asia.t1946.life", "path": [ { "id": "geo.asia", "label": "Asia (other)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.asia" }, { "id": "geo.asia.t1946", "label": "Asia (other) · 1946 to 2000", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.asia.t1946" }, { "id": "geo.asia.t1946.life", "label": "Life and health", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.asia.t1946.life" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Drunken noodles (ผัดขี้เมา, pad kee mao) is a spicy Thai stir-fry of wide sen yai rice noodles with holy basil, bird's-eye chilies, garlic, oyster sauce, and dark soy; no alcohol, spicier cousin of pad see ew.", "snippet": "Drunken noodles (ผัดขี้เมา, pad kee mao) is a spicy Thai stir-fry of wide sen yai rice noodles with holy basil, bird's-eye chilies, garlic, oyster sauce, and dark soy; no alcohol, spicier cousin of pad see ew.", "node": "life.plants.seed.monocots.rice_crop_and_cuisine.rice_noodles", "markdown": "# Drunken noodles (ผัดขี้เมา)\n\n**Drunken noodles** (ผัดขี้เมา, *pad kee mao*, RTGS *phat khi mao*) is a spicy Thai stir-fried noodle dish made with wide rice noodles, holy basil, bird's-eye chilies, garlic, and a protein such as chicken or pork, seasoned with oyster sauce and dark soy.[1](https://www.noodledex.com/noodles/thai-se-asian/drunken-noodles) The English name is a calque of the Thai: *pad* (ผัด) means stir-fry and *kee mao* (ขี้เมา) means drunkard, so a closer rendering is \"drunkard's stir-fry\".[1](https://www.noodledex.com/noodles/thai-se-asian/drunken-noodles) • [2](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/drunken_noodles) Despite the name, the dish contains no alcohol.[3](https://nakhonluangthaicos.com/drunken-noodles-colorado-springs/)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Thai name | ผัดขี้เมา, *pad kee mao*; \"pad\" = stir-fry, \"kee mao\" = drunkard[1](https://www.noodledex.com/noodles/thai-se-asian/drunken-noodles) |\n| Core ingredients | Wide sen yai rice noodles (about 9–10 mm), holy basil, bird's-eye chili, garlic, oyster sauce, dark soy, usually chicken or pork[1](https://www.noodledex.com/noodles/thai-se-asian/drunken-noodles) |\n| Alcohol content | None; the name describes the dish's association with drinking, not its ingredients[3](https://nakhonluangthaicos.com/drunken-noodles-colorado-springs/) |\n| Closest relative | Pad see ew, which uses the same wide noodles but is mild and sweet, built on soy sauce and Chinese broccoli[4](https://hungryinthailand.com/pad-kee-mao-vs-pad-see-ew/) |\n| Defining herb | Holy basil (กะเพรา), the peppery variety; sweet basil is a common substitute where holy basil is unavailable[1](https://www.noodledex.com/noodles/thai-se-asian/drunken-noodles) |\n| Home-cook scale | A typical recipe takes about 25 minutes and serves 2 to 3[5](https://www.thekitchn.com/drunken-noodles-recipe-23254855) |\n\n## The name and its origin stories\n\nSeveral explanations circulate for why a noodle dish is named after a drunkard, and none is documented. One holds that the dish was invented as a hangover cure, spicy and salty enough to revive someone after a night of drinking.[1](https://www.noodledex.com/noodles/thai-se-asian/drunken-noodles) A second says it is simply what Thais eat while drinking, particularly late at night.[6](https://www.tasteatlas.com/pad-kee-mao) A third says the dish is what a drunk person throws together from whatever is left in the kitchen.[7](https://www.thaicookbook.tv/thai-recipes/one-dish-meals/drunkards-noodles-pad-kee-mao-sen-yai/) A food writer's version adds that the heat is so strong that even a drunk person can taste all the flavors.[8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2loyte_ZXc) What the name is not is a description of an ingredient or a warning about contents; the plate itself is alcohol-free.[3](https://nakhonluangthaicos.com/drunken-noodles-colorado-springs/)\n\n## Ingredients and technique\n\nThe noodle is sen yai, a fresh wide flat rice noodle about 9–10 mm across, chewy and slippery, tossed over very high heat.[1](https://www.noodledex.com/noodles/thai-se-asian/drunken-noodles) The aromatics are pounded or ground into a rough paste of bird's-eye chilies and garlic, then fried briefly before the protein and noodles go in.[9](https://www.nyonyacooking.com/recipes/guay-teaw-pad-kee-mao~DITv6KN-l) The sauce is short: fish sauce, sweet dark soy sauce, sugar, and oyster sauce.[5](https://www.thekitchn.com/drunken-noodles-recipe-23254855) Vegetables vary by cook and region; common additions include baby corn, carrot, onion, bell peppers, bamboo shoots, and fresh green peppercorns on the stem.[7](https://www.thaicookbook.tv/thai-recipes/one-dish-meals/drunkards-noodles-pad-kee-mao-sen-yai/) • [3](https://nakhonluangthaicos.com/drunken-noodles-colorado-springs/)\n\nHoly basil is the ingredient that makes the dish what it is. It has a clove-like, peppery warmth that sweet basil lacks, and the basil is added last, off the heat or in the final seconds, just until wilted.[1](https://www.noodledex.com/noodles/thai-se-asian/drunken-noodles) • [7](https://www.thaicookbook.tv/thai-recipes/one-dish-meals/drunkards-noodles-pad-kee-mao-sen-yai/) Because holy basil is hard to source outside Southeast Asia, many Thai restaurants abroad substitute Thai sweet basil, which produces a related but different dish under the same name.[1](https://www.noodledex.com/noodles/thai-se-asian/drunken-noodles)\n\nHeat is non-negotiable: chilies are not optional, though the quantity can be reduced, and mashing the chilies more thoroughly makes the dish spicier.[5](https://www.thekitchn.com/drunken-noodles-recipe-23254855) • [8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2loyte_ZXc) The wok must be ferociously hot so the ingredients sear rather than steam, developing the smoky char known as wok hei (smoky char from cooking over a very hot wok); on a weaker burner, cooks are advised to work in small batches.[10](https://thecookbook.ai/recipes/traditional-pad-kee-mao-thai-drunken-noodles-n09FuQkF) The dish is cooked to order in a few minutes per serving and is best eaten immediately, because the noodles grow stickier as they sit.[7](https://www.thaicookbook.tv/thai-recipes/one-dish-meals/drunkards-noodles-pad-kee-mao-sen-yai/)\n\n## Pad kee mao and pad see ew\n\nThe two dishes are often confused because they share the same wide rice noodle and the same fast, high-heat stir-fry method, and both take chicken, beef, shrimp, or vegetables.[11](https://rusticthaikitchen.com/2026/06/04/pad-kee-mao-vs-pad-see-ew/) They diverge at the sauce and aromatics. Pad see ew is seasoned mainly with soy sauces and Chinese broccoli (gai lan), giving a mild, savory, slightly sweet, dark-colored dish; pad kee mao is built on chilies, garlic, and basil, giving a hot, herbal, savory result.[4](https://hungryinthailand.com/pad-kee-mao-vs-pad-see-ew/) • [12](https://www.noodledex.com/noodles/thai-se-asian/pad-see-ew) A visual tell: pad kee mao shows whole basil leaves and visible red chilies, while pad see ew has a uniform dark color and Chinese broccoli stems.[1](https://www.noodledex.com/noodles/thai-se-asian/drunken-noodles) For diners deciding between them, the choice is essentially heat and basil versus sweetness and a softer finish.[11](https://rusticthaikitchen.com/2026/06/04/pad-kee-mao-vs-pad-see-ew/)\n\n## Variants and how it is ordered\n\nThe dish adapts readily. Seafood versions (pad kee mao talay) use prawns, squid, or mixed seafood, and other versions use squid as the main protein.[6](https://www.tasteatlas.com/pad-kee-mao) • [9](https://www.nyonyacooking.com/recipes/guay-teaw-pad-kee-mao~DITv6KN-l) In Thai-fusion cooking the same sauce and aromatics appear over instant noodles or even spaghetti.[6](https://www.tasteatlas.com/pad-kee-mao)\n\nOutside Thailand, drunken noodles are a staple of Thai restaurant menus and street-food-style spots. In New Orleans, Budsi's Thai serves pad kee mao with tofu and vegetables as a signature order, and in Portland, reviewers highlight the dish's balance of savory, sweet, and heat at restaurants such as Paadee and Little Bloom.[13](https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2025/09/30/drunken-noodles-budsis-thai-restaurant) • [14](https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2023/10/17/bite-club-paadee-thai-food) • [15](https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/04/08/thai-laos-food-little-bloom-restaurant-review)\n\n## Nutrition at home scale\n\nA representative home recipe (1 pound fresh wide rice noodles, 8 ounces ground pork, vegetables, and sauce) takes about 25 minutes, serves 2 to 3, and yields roughly 1,349 calories, 40 g of fat, 201 g of carbohydrates, and 3,487 mg of sodium per serving when calculated on two servings.[5](https://www.thekitchn.com/drunken-noodles-recipe-23254855) The sodium figure reflects the fish sauce, soy sauces, and oyster sauce that season the dish; rice noodles themselves are naturally gluten-free, though the sauces need gluten-free substitutes for a gluten-free version.[5](https://www.thekitchn.com/drunken-noodles-recipe-23254855) • [16](https://thewoksoflife.com/drunken-noodles-pad-kee-mao/)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Drunken Noodles: Thailand's Wide-Rice Basil Stir-Fry, NoodleDex](https://www.noodledex.com/noodles/thai-se-asian/drunken-noodles)\n2. [drunken noodles, Wiktionary](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/drunken_noodles)\n3. [Why There Is No Alcohol in Drunken Noodles, Nakhon Luang Thai Kitchen](https://nakhonluangthaicos.com/drunken-noodles-colorado-springs/)\n4. [Pad Kee Mao vs Pad See Ew, Hungry in Thailand](https://hungryinthailand.com/pad-kee-mao-vs-pad-see-ew/)\n5. [Drunken Noodles Recipe (Pad Kee Mao), The Kitchn](https://www.thekitchn.com/drunken-noodles-recipe-23254855)\n6. [Pad kee mao (Drunken noodles), TasteAtlas](https://www.tasteatlas.com/pad-kee-mao)\n7. [Pad Kee Mao Sen Yai Recipe, ThaiCookbook.tv](https://www.thaicookbook.tv/thai-recipes/one-dish-meals/drunkards-noodles-pad-kee-mao-sen-yai/)\n8. [Pepper Explains the Meaning Behind Drunken Noodles, Cravings by Chrissy Teigen (YouTube)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2loyte_ZXc)\n9. [Guay Teaw Pad Kee Mao, Nyonya Cooking](https://www.nyonyacooking.com/recipes/guay-teaw-pad-kee-mao~DITv6KN-l)\n10. [Traditional Pad Kee Mao (Thai Drunken Noodles), The Cookbook](https://thecookbook.ai/recipes/traditional-pad-kee-mao-thai-drunken-noodles-n09FuQkF)\n11. [Pad Kee Mao vs Pad See Ew: Which to Order, Rustic Thai Kitchen](https://rusticthaikitchen.com/2026/06/04/pad-kee-mao-vs-pad-see-ew/)\n12. [Pad See Ew: Thailand's Sweet Dark-Soy Noodles, NoodleDex](https://www.noodledex.com/noodles/thai-se-asian/pad-see-ew)\n13. [Where to get drunken noodles in New Orleans, Axios](https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2025/09/30/drunken-noodles-budsis-thai-restaurant)\n14. [Bite Club: Pad Kee Mao at Paadee, Axios Portland](https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2023/10/17/bite-club-paadee-thai-food)\n15. [Lao and Thai cuisine at Portland's Little Bloom, Axios Portland](https://www.axios.com/local/portland/2025/04/08/thai-laos-food-little-bloom-restaurant-review)\n16. [Drunken Noodles (Pad Kee Mao), The Woks of Life](https://thewoksoflife.com/drunken-noodles-pad-kee-mao/)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Life and health › Plants and algae › Seed plants › Monocots › Grass family (Poaceae) › Cereal crops › Rice: crop and cuisine › Rice noodles*\n\n*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/drunken-noodles-epe48mqydv", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/drunken-noodles-epe48mqydv.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Drunken noodles (ผัดขี้เมา)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/drunken-noodles-epe48mqydv. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Drunken noodles (ผัดขี้เมา)](https://www.edgepedia.org/drunken-noodles-epe48mqydv)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/drunken-noodles-epe48mqydv](https://www.edgepedia.org/drunken-noodles-epe48mqydv). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Drunken noodles (ผัดขี้เมา)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/drunken-noodles-epe48mqydv. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Drunken noodles is a spicy Thai stir-fry of wide sen yai rice noodles with holy basil, bird's-eye chilies, garlic, oyster sauce, and dark soy; no alcohol, spicier cousin of pad see ew." }