Pad Kee Mao with Tofu (Thai Drunken Noodles)

Name: Pad Kee Mao with Tofu (Thai Drunken Noodles)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 3 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 8 oz (225 g) dried wide rice noodles (about ½-inch / 1 cm wide); 14 oz (400 g) extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed for 15 minutes, and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes; 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch; 4 tbsp (60 ml) neutral oil such as peanut or canola, divided: 2 tbsp for the tofu, 2 tbsp for the noodles; 6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely crushed or minced; 4 whole (8 g) fresh bird's eye chilies, stemmed and coarsely crushed with the garlic (adjust to taste); 1 medium (50 g) shallot, thinly sliced; 1 medium (150 g) red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) strips; 4 oz (115 g) Chinese broccoli (gai lan), stems sliced diagonally ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, leaves cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces; 4 oz (115 g) baby corn, halved lengthwise if large (optional); 1½ cups (35 g) holy basil leaves (or Thai basil), loosely packed, leaves picked from stems; 2 tbsp (30 ml) light soy sauce; 1 tbsp (15 ml) dark sweet soy sauce; 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce; 2 tsp (8 g) light brown sugar or palm sugar; 3 tbsp (45 ml) water

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Chewy wide rice noodles tossed in a hot wok with crisp golden tofu, fiery bird's eye chilies, plenty of garlic and peppery holy basil, all coated in a glossy savory-sweet sauce. Ready in about 35 minutes.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 15 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 50 min
Makes: 3 generous servings (about 6 cups / 1.4 L total)

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Ingredients

3 servings

For the noodles and tofu
8 oz (225 g) dried wide rice noodles (about ½-inch / 1 cm wide)
14 oz (400 g) extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed for 15 minutes, and cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes
1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch
4 tbsp (60 ml) neutral oil such as peanut or canola, divided: 2 tbsp for the tofu, 2 tbsp for the noodles
For the aromatics and vegetables
6 cloves (30 g) garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely crushed or minced
4 whole (8 g) fresh bird's eye chilies, stemmed and coarsely crushed with the garlic (adjust to taste)
1 medium (50 g) shallot, thinly sliced
1 medium (150 g) red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) strips
4 oz (115 g) Chinese broccoli (gai lan), stems sliced diagonally ¼ inch (6 mm) thick, leaves cut into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces
4 oz (115 g) baby corn, halved lengthwise if large (optional)
1½ cups (35 g) holy basil leaves (or Thai basil), loosely packed, leaves picked from stems
For the sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) light soy sauce
1 tbsp (15 ml) dark sweet soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce
2 tsp (8 g) light brown sugar or palm sugar
3 tbsp (45 ml) water

Equipment (6)

14-inch (35 cm) carbon steel wok or 12-inch (30 cm) large heavy skillet
Wok spatula or wide turner
Mortar and pestle or knife for crushing garlic and chilies
Large bowl for soaking noodles
Small bowl for the sauce
Clean kitchen towels or paper towels for pressing tofu

Steps

Before you start

Press the tofu for 15 minutes while the noodles soften, so it fries up crisp instead of steaming.
Fresh wide rice noodles (sen yai) are best; if using dried, soak them as directed in step 1 and drain very well.
Stir-frying is fast. Have every ingredient chopped, measured and next to the stove before you turn on the heat.
Bird's eye chilies are very hot. Start with 3 for medium heat, 5-6 for traditional heat, and wash your hands after handling them.

1
Soften the noodles
- Place the dried noodles in a large bowl and cover with very hot tap water (about 140°F / 60°C, not boiling).
- Soak 12-15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the noodles are pliable and bend without snapping but still have a firm, slightly raw center.
- Drain well and toss with 1 teaspoon of the oil from the divided amount to prevent sticking.
- Do this while the tofu presses.
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Ready when: Noodles bend easily but still feel firm in the center; they finish cooking in the wok
Tip: Over-soaking makes noodles mushy and they will tear in the wok. Underdone is better than overdone.
2
Press and coat tofu
- Wrap the tofu in a clean towel, set a heavy pan or cans on top, and press for 15 minutes.
- Cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) cubes, pat dry again, then toss gently with the cornstarch in a bowl until all sides are lightly dusted.
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Ready when: Cubes feel dry on the surface and are evenly coated in a thin white dusting
Tip: Dry tofu is the secret to a crisp crust.
3
Prep sauce and aromatics
- In a small bowl, stir together the light soy sauce, dark sweet soy sauce, mushroom oyster sauce, sugar and water until the sugar dissolves.
- Crush the garlic and chilies together in a mortar into a coarse, chunky paste (or chop finely with a knife).
- Set the paste, shallot, bell pepper, gai lan, baby corn and basil in separate piles next to the stove.
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Ready when: Sugar fully dissolved and sauce is uniformly dark brown
Tip: Wash your hands with soap after handling the chilies, and avoid touching your eyes.
4
Fry the tofu
- Heat a 14-inch (35 cm) wok or large skillet over high heat until it just begins to smoke, about 2 minutes.
- Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the oil and swirl to coat.
- Add the tofu in a single layer and let it sit undisturbed for 1½ minutes, then turn and fry, flipping every minute or so, for 5-6 minutes total.
- Transfer to a plate.
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Ready when: Tofu is golden brown and crisp on at least 3 sides and releases easily from the wok
Tip: If the tofu sticks, wait another 20-30 seconds; it releases once the crust forms. Work in two batches if your wok is smaller than 14 inches.
5
Bloom garlic and chili
- Return the wok to high heat, wiping out any burnt bits if needed.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil minus the 1 teaspoon already used on the noodles.
- Add the garlic-chili paste and shallot and stir-fry for 20-30 seconds.
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Ready when: Strongly fragrant, garlic just turning pale gold at the edges
Tip: Garlic burns in seconds and turns bitter. If it darkens fast, lift the wok off the heat briefly.
6
Cook the vegetables
- Add the gai lan stems, bell pepper and baby corn.
- Stir-fry constantly for 1½ minutes, then add the gai lan leaves and 2 tablespoons of water from the sauce bowl's measured water if the wok looks dry.
- Cook 30 seconds more until the leaves just wilt.
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Ready when: Vegetables are bright in color, leaves wilted, and stems crisp-tender
7
Add noodles and sauce
- Add the drained noodles and pour the sauce over them.
- Use a wok spatula to gently lift and fold the noodles from the bottom for 2-3 minutes, pressing them lightly against the hot wok so they pick up char, until the sauce is absorbed and the noodles are tender and chewy.
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Ready when: Noodles are glossy, evenly dark brown, soft and chewy with no firm center, and no puddle of sauce remains
Tip: Fold rather than stir vigorously. If noodles are still hard, splash in 1-2 tablespoons water and cook 30 seconds more.
8
Finish with basil
- Return the tofu to the wok and add the holy basil.
- Toss for 20-30 seconds, just until the basil wilts and smells peppery.
- Taste and add a splash of soy sauce if needed.
- Serve immediately on warm plates.
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Ready when: Basil is wilted but still bright green and the aroma is strong
Tip: Add basil last; long cooking turns it dark and dulls its flavor.

Good to know

Tips

Keep the heat high and don't overcrowd the wok; cook in two batches if using a skillet smaller than 12 inches.
Dark sweet soy sauce gives the signature color and mild sweetness. Without it, add 1 teaspoon extra sugar plus 1 teaspoon more light soy.
Use a mortar to bruise rather than finely mince the garlic and chilies; the chunky texture is traditional and releases more flavor.
Cooked noodles stick together as they cool, so keep stir-frying until serving.

Make ahead

"Press and cube the tofu, slice the vegetables and mix the sauce up to 1 day ahead; store separately in the refrigerator. Soak the noodles just before cooking."

Storage & reheating

"Best eaten immediately. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days. Do not freeze, as the noodles turn brittle. Reheat in a hot skillet with 1-2 tablespoons water for 2-3 minutes, tossing until steaming, or microwave covered 1½-2 minutes."

Substitutions

holy basil leaves (or Thai basil) → Thai basil (or Italian basil in a pinch). Thai basil has a sweeter anise flavor; the dish is still delicious, just less peppery.
Chinese broccoli (gai lan) → broccolini or broccoli florets. Cut into small pieces so they cook in the same time.
dried wide rice noodles (about ½-inch / 1 cm wide) → fresh wide rice noodles (sen yai), 14 oz / 400 g. Separate the sheets by hand or microwave briefly to loosen; skip the soak and add straight to the wok.
vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce → regular oyster sauce. Not vegetarian, but works equally well in the same amount.