Pad Kee Mao

'Pad kee mao' translates roughly to 'drunken stir-fried noodles' in English, though the name does not refer to alcohol as an ingredient. Theories for the name include that it was a late-night dish eaten by people returning from drinking, or that its intense spiciness paired well with cold beer. The dish is a staple of Thai cuisine and street food culture.

Pad kee mao is made with wide, flat rice noodles known as sen yai in Thai. These are stir-fried with holy basil (bai kaprow), garlic, and Thai chili peppers, then seasoned with oyster sauce, fish sauce, and soy sauce. The use of wide rice noodles distinguishes it from pad thai, which uses thinner rice noodles.

Pad kee mao is one of the spicier Thai stir-fried dishes, as it contains both Thai chili peppers and fresh holy basil, which contribute significant heat. The spice level can be adjusted by requesting fewer chilies when ordering. The combination of heat, saltiness, and herbal freshness gives the dish its signature bold, intense flavor.

Both dishes use wide rice noodles, but pad kee mao is spicy and seasoned with holy basil and chili peppers, while pad see ew is milder and seasoned primarily with dark sweet soy sauce (siew dam) and Chinese broccoli. Pad kee mao has a more complex, fiery flavor profile, while pad see ew is sweeter and more savory. Both are popular Thai street food staples.