Pad Kee Mao translates as "drunken noodles" — not because the dish contains alcohol, but because it's the kind of food drunk people crave at 2am. We first had it at a street stall near Khao San Road, ordered by pointing, eaten standing up. We ordered it again the next night. And the night after that.
The dish is deceptively simple: wide rice noodles, Thai basil (not Italian — this matters enormously), oyster sauce, fish sauce, a generous pour of heat. What makes it great is the wok hei — the slightly smoky, charred character that comes from a screaming hot wok. You won't fully replicate this on a domestic hob. But you can get close.
The wok question: A thin stainless pan will not do this justice. You need a carbon steel wok — they're inexpensive, season beautifully, and get far hotter than anything non-stick. The one we use at home cost £28 and is the most-used pan in our kitchen. Buy one once, use it forever.
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Ingredients
For 2 people
Method
Prep everything before you start
This dish cooks in under 10 minutes. Have your sauce mixed, protein sliced, aromatics chopped, and noodles ready to go before the wok hits the heat. There is no time to prep during cooking.
Get the wok seriously hot
Turn your biggest burner to maximum. Heat the wok for 3–4 minutes until you see the first wisps of smoke. Add the oil — it should shimmer immediately. This is not optional. Cold wok = soggy noodles.
Fry the garlic and chilli
Add garlic and chilli. It will spit violently — stand back. Stir for 30 seconds until golden. Don't let it burn. Work quickly.
Add protein, cook fast
Chicken goes in now. Spread across the wok, leave for 60 seconds without touching to get colour, then toss. Cook until just done — 2–3 minutes for thin slices.
Add noodles and sauce
Add noodles and pour over the sauce. Toss everything together. If noodles stick, add a splash of water. You want the sauce to coat and slightly caramelise — another 2 minutes over high heat.
Finish with basil, eat immediately
Kill the heat. Throw in the Thai basil. Toss once. Plate and eat. The basil should wilt from residual heat only — if you cook it longer it becomes bitter. This dish does not keep well. Make it, eat it now.
Notes & substitutions
- Thai basil vs Italian basil: They're genuinely different plants. Italian basil will taste wrong here — sweet where it should be peppery and slightly anise-like. Find Thai basil at any Asian supermarket.
- The noodles: Fresh wide rice noodles from an Asian grocer are ideal. Dried ones work — soak in cold water for 30 mins, don't boil.
- Vegan version: Swap fish sauce for soy sauce + a squeeze of lime. Use tofu or mushrooms. Equally good.
Going to Bangkok?
The best pad kee mao we found was near Victory Monument, not the tourist areas. Eat at places with plastic stools and a TV showing Thai soap operas. Chatuchak Market is worth an entire day for street food alone.