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Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles)

Name: Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 12 oz wide rice noodles; 1 lb chicken; 6 Thai bird chilies; 6 cloves garlic; 2 cups holy basil leaves; 3 tbsp oyster sauce; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp dark soy sauce; 1 tsp sugar; 2 medium tomatoes, wedged; 1 cup long beans, cut; 3 tbsp oil

Pad Kee Mao (Drunken Noodles) reads umami 7.0, salinity 6.0 and funk & ferment 5.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Thai main, about 20 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 8.7 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 4.7 / 10
Sour & Bright — 2.2 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 0.8 / 10
Rich & Fat — 4.0 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 5.2 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.0 · Salinity 6.0 · Funk & Ferment 5.9 · Marine & Briny 4.6 · Herbaceous 4.4 · Sweetness 4.1 · Heat 4.1 · Richness 3.8 · Allium 3.6 · Floral 2.0 · Fruity 1.9 · Sourness 1.9 · Citrus 1.0 · Warm Spice 0.8 · Earthy 0.7 · Bitterness 0.7 · Nutty 0.6

What's in it (12)

12 oz wide rice noodles
1 lb chicken
6 Thai bird chilies
6 cloves garlic
2 cups holy basil leaves
3 tbsp oyster sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
2 medium tomatoes, wedged
1 cup long beans, cut
3 tbsp oil

Time & effort: about 20 min (15 min active) · effort: easy

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 135.6 kcal, 6.2 g protein, 4.1 g fat, 18.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

Stir-fry garlic and chilies in hot oil until fragrant.
Add protein and cook through, then add rice noodles and vegetables.
Season with oyster sauce, fish sauce, and soy sauce, toss over high heat, and finish with a generous handful of fresh holy basil.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Pad Krapow Moo (Thai Basil Stir-Fry) — Thai
Thai Basil Chicken (Pad Krapow Gai) — Thai
Thai Basil Ground Beef Stir-Fry (Pad Kra Pao Neua) — Thai
Thai Basil Shrimp (Pad Kra Pao Goong) — Thai
Thai Basil Pork (Pad Kra Pao Moo) — Thai

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.