Drunken noodles

It's a common theme here for me to start writing with "I love ___". Today is no exception.

I love noodles. Surprisingly enough though, I haven't actually had drunken noodles before.

Perhaps it's because I'm not a huge alcohol person, and the name of the dish is somewhat off-putting, but. I'd put my money on the fact that the pad Thai on the menu is always screaming my name.

I had a hankering for some Thai food, but didn't want to go out and eat something greasy, so I thought I'd make it at home.

There are many variations on how drunken noodles came to be:

• rice wine is used to make it, but there isn't any alcohol in the dish itself
• you eat it after a night of drinking and you have the munchies when you get home
• you get so drunk while eating it because you're trying to drown out the spice with alcohol
• the chef was drunk while making it
• as a cure for hangovers

I'm not sure myself what the true answer is, but I'm more inclined to think that it's a food for late night partiers, because of the common association of Asian food with after party eats.

 

I had spent a large part of the day at a friend's place recording the instrumental tracks for the next song we're laying down, but hunger was getting the best of us. Said friend was also sick, so I toned down the spice to a minimum level.

Nonetheless, it was a delicious dish and I'm glad I've gotten this one under my belt now as well.

Follow through for my recipe from the weekend, but feel free to use whatever vegetables are in your fridge (peppers, eggplant, celery, etc.).

Drunken noodles 

noodles
1 pkg broad noodles
1/2 onion, diced
2 red chilies, minced*
2 carrots, julienned
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 block extra firm tofu
2 broccoli crowns
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cup bean sprouts

sauce
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
1 tbsp fish sauce
1/2 lime, juiced (~1 1/2 tbsp)
1.2 tsp brown sugar 

1. Soak noodles in hot water until soft. Drop in cold water.
2. Saute onion, chilies and carrot for a few minutes until soft.
3. Add shrimp. When nearly cooked, add tofu.
4. Add broccoli. After 2 minutes add mushrooms and bean sprouts.
5. Whisk together sauce ingredients. Put noodles and sauce into frying pan. Toss to coat.
6. Cook a few more minutes until sauce absorbs.
7. Serve garnished with thai basil and lime wedges.

Enjoy!