Thai · Authentic-ish Thai
Drunken Noodles
598 kcal a serving, against 729 for the traditional version. That is 131 kcal off, or 18%, with 34.2g of protein. Serves 4. 35 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Wide fresh rice noodles, stir-fried hard in oil with garlic, red chilli, Thai holy basil, strips of chicken thigh or pork, green beans, and peppers. The sauce is mostly sweet soy, with a splash of oyster and fish sauce.
What changed, and what each change costs
Chicken thigh to chicken breast, and bump it from 350g to 450g
Chicken breast stays lean, while bumping the amount makes up for lost chewiness. You miss out on the richness of the thigh, but fried garlic and basil keep things lively. More bite, less squidge.
What it costs you. There's no melting, juicy chicken to launch sneaky blobs of fat onto your shirt. Instead, you get chunks that actually taste like chicken and keep you fuller for longer. If you want fat running down your chin, this isn't the one.
Cut the oil from 60g to 25g
A proper Pad Kee Mao is positively bathed in oil so the noodles don't stick. Less oil means less risk of a trip to the dry cleaner, but it also means the noodles won't crisp at the edges.
What it costs you. You lose that alluring wok-char, and the noodles are more likely to clump if you aren't quick. Use a hot pan and move fast or you'll have a sticky mess.
Swap half the sweet soy for light soy, and drop the total to 30g
Sweet soy is what gives the dish its glossy, almost caramelised coating. Swapping half for light soy means the sauce is more salty than sweet, and the noodles don't get that dark shine.
What it costs you. It is not sticky. It is assertive. Don't expect the sauce to whisper you to sleep - it barks.
Add an extra handful of green beans and red pepper
No one ever died from eating too many green beans. More veg, more bulk, and bonus points for a plate that actually looks like it might know a vitamin.
What it costs you. The dish feels bigger and the beans give more crunch, but if you're just here for the noodles, you'll feel like someone swapped the main event for a warm-up act.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 729 | 598 |
| Protein | 23.2g | 34.2g |
| Fat | 30.4g | 10.1g |
| Saturated fat | 6.1g | 1.6g |
| Carbohydrate | 87g | 88.2g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 3.2g | 5.7g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Thai prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, fish, soybeans, molluscs.
The method is in the book
This hits hardest on the sauce and the oil. The original is all about that sticky, shiny noodle - here you get more chew and a sauce with a salty snap. The extra bite from more veg and lean chicken means it fills you up, but if you're after that late-night, oily hug, you'll miss the gloss. Still, it's a plate you can finish without needing a lie-down. Not quite the same, but you won't wake up feeling like you've eaten your pillow.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Thai, along with 50 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.