Description
This Easy Bangkok-style ‘Drunken Noodles’ recipe delivers a vibrant, flavorful Thai stir-fried noodle dish perfect for a quick weeknight meal. Featuring wide flat noodles tossed with fragrant makrut lime leaves, fresh herbs, tofu or your choice of protein, crisp vegetables, and a tangy, spicy sauce, this stir-fry balances heat, acidity, and sweetness beautifully. Ready in just 25 minutes, it’s an authentic and satisfying dish that’s as colorful as it is delicious.
Ingredients
Noodles and Vegetables
- 8 to 10 ounces Asian-style flat, wide wheat noodles
- 2 strips makrut lime leaves, sliced very thinly, or cut into thin strips with scissors (remove stems)
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced and diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (1-inch) piece galangal or ginger, sliced thinly
- 1 red chile pepper, sliced finely and deseeded to reduce heat
- 3 tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 head broccoli, cut into florets (or 1 cup bok choy or Chinese cabbage)
- 1 to 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
Protein
- 1/2 (15-ounce) package firm tofu, or shrimp or bite-sized pieces of chicken
Cooking Oil
- Vegetable oil, as needed, for stir-frying
Stir-fry Sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ground bean sauce (yellow bean sauce)
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce (or 2 fresh red chiles, minced, optional)
Garnish
- Fresh basil, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Noodles: Boil water in a pot over medium-high heat and add the Asian-style flat, wide wheat noodles. Stir to separate and cook until al dente (chewy but not soft). Drain the noodles and rinse them with cold water to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Make Stir-fry Sauce: In a cup, combine ground bean sauce, rice vinegar, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, and Thai chili sauce or minced fresh chilies if using. Stir well. Taste the sauce; it will be strong but will mellow when mixed with noodles. Adjust sweetness or saltiness by adding more sugar or fish sauce as needed.
- Heat Wok and Start Stir-frying: Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a few tablespoons of vegetable oil, then add the sliced makrut lime leaves, shallots, minced garlic, sliced galangal (or ginger), red chili pepper, and tofu (or shrimp or chicken pieces). Stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant. If the wok becomes too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time instead of more oil.
- Add Vegetables: Add the broccoli florets to the wok and stir-fry for another 30 seconds to 1 minute until the broccoli turns bright green and just tender.
- Combine Noodles and Sauce: Pour the prepared stir-fry sauce over the vegetables, then add the cooked noodles and bite-sized tomatoes. Stir-fry everything together for 1 to 2 minutes, turning the noodles to evenly coat them with the sauce and warm everything through.
- Finish and Garnish: Remove the wok from heat and add the bean sprouts and cilantro leaves. Toss everything gently to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning by adding more fish sauce or a squeeze of lime juice if needed. Sprinkle with fresh basil and serve immediately, optionally with extra Thai chili sauce or minced chilies on the side.
Notes
- You can substitute tofu with shrimp or chicken for a non-vegetarian version.
- To reduce heat, remove chili seeds or adjust chili quantity to your taste.
- Rinsing noodles with cold water after cooking prevents them from sticking together.
- If you don’t have galangal, ginger is a suitable substitute.
- Add water during stir-frying if the pan gets too dry to avoid burning ingredients.
- Use fresh herbs like basil and cilantro to enhance aroma and flavor right before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
