Pad Kee Mao

Also known as 'drunken noodles', this Thai dish was given this name as it is a rather spicy dish that is often eaten at the end of boozy nights out. It has a real kick to it and is perfect accompanied by a chilli sauce called Sambal Oelek, which you may be able to find at your local Asian store.

4 Servings

Ingredients:

4 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp water

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp dark soy sauce

6 tbsp oyster sauce

2 tbsp peanut oil or sunflower oil

400gr rice noodles

5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

2 Thai red chillies, finely chopped

300gr chicken breast, finely sliced

20gr holy basil

2 carrots, peeled & sliced into thin ribbons

1 tbsp fish sauce

4 spring onions, white & green parts separated & both finely sliced

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine the sugar, water, soy sauce, dark soy sauce & oyster sauce. Stir well. Set aside for later as this is your drunken noodle sauce.

As with all stir fries, prepare all of your ingredients in advance, as once your fire up your wok, the process is energetic & will only require a few minutes.

If you are using dried rice noodles you will need to pre-cook them according to the package instructions. Generally, this involves either plunging them in boiling water for 1 minute or soaking them in a large bowl filled with boiling hot water for 10 minutes.

Drain the noodles & rinse thoroughly with cold water so that the noodles do not begin to stick together. Drain thoroughly.

Heat 2 tbsp of peanut oil in a wok over high heat.

Add the garlic & chilli. Fry for 20 seconds, stirring constantly.

Add the chicken & fry for 1 minute.

Add the white part of the spring onion, the carrots & the fish sauce. Fry for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the basil, noodles & the drunken noodle sauce. Stir fry for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly.

Serve with a scatter of chopped green spring onion over the top and the Sambal Oelek chilli sauce in a small bowl on the side.