Chef John's Drunken Noodles

I always love it when there's some sort of controversy regarding the origins of a recipe's name, and this amazing Drunken Noodles dish fits the bill. One theory is that this spicy, sweet, and very savory bowl of noodles was invented by drunk people, for drunk people. As someone who has enjoyed the occasional late night bowl of noodles to "soak up the alcohol," this origin story makes a lot of sense. It might be unscientific, but it does seem to help.

The other story, which isn't nearly as interesting, theorizes that at one time wine was used in the sauce. I mean, that's barely a story. And if that were the case, why did they stop using wine? So, I'm team drunk customer, although it's most likely to be a combination of the two. The good news is, none of this matters, since regardless of how "Pad Kee Mao" got its name, it is one of the easiest, and most delicious noodle dishes I know.

The big key here is to properly prep the rice noodles. No matter what size or thickness you're using, simply soak them in hot water until very flexible, but not soft. Do not use boiling water as many recipes suggest. I find that makes them soften too quickly, and they tend to get sticky and starchy, which I don't want happening until they're in the sauce. By the way, you can use any noodle or pasta with this sauce, and the results will still be incredible. So, no matter what you use, I really hope you give this a try soon!