Drunken Noodles; Possibly the Best Hangover Food

After a long night and maybe even a rougher morning, there is nothing better than my drunken noodles. This recipe combines everything an inebriated or sober person could want with spicy, sweet, and sour flavors, plenty of sodium to get you back on your feet, and a combination of fresh veggies, shrimp, and eggs. What more could you ask for when you feel like you are nearly on your deathbed?

And in case you are wondering, drunken noodles are a real thing. It is a popular Thai street food known as pad kee mao and is popular as drunken noodles on American menus. And while the origins of the name are unknown as alcohol is not one of the ingredients, I find it to be the one of the best hangover cures on the planet. Let me break it down for you:

• First, you got your noodles – Carbs! Bring that blood sugar back to normal.
• This dish packs a sodium punch – electrolytes! Get your water levels back in balance.
• The shrimp is a little obscure, but in Mexico, shrimp ceviche is thought to bring you back to life after a night of partying, so I’ll try it!
• I always think of eggs as good hangover cure and there is science behind it! The amino acids help clear alcohol from your system.
• Tomatoes contain antioxidants that help protect that liver from injury.
• Broccoli, like tomatoes, is rich in antioxidants but also contains glucoraphanin which helps detoxify your body for up to 72 hours!
• And finally, the star of the show, SPICE! Get your sweat on and remove some of those toxins.

With New Year’s eve right around the corner, you can thank me in advance for this powerful drunken noodles recipe to keep you going through New Years Day and well into 2025, no matter how many Jaeger bombs you consume!

Serves 4-6

Suggested Cocktail Pairing:

You probably have had enough, but a little hair of the dog won’t hurt. A beer would pair perfectly with this, but a bloody mary would work nicely too!

Tools:

Just face it, you need a giant wok in your life. This is the one.

Ingredients:

8 ounces of rice noodles, soaked in hot water

3 Thai chilis, minced

1 pound of shrimp

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 white onion, diced

1 cup of broccoli, trimmed

1/2 cup of grape tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup of basil, chopped

2 tablespoons of sesame oil or vegetable oil

For the drunken noodle sauce:

1/4 cup of soy sauce

1 tablespoon of oyster sauce

1 teaspoon of fish sauce

2 tablespoons of sriracha

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup of basil, chopped

Juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 teaspoon of sugar

Instructions:

1. First, get your rice noodles soaking in hot water to soften. They will need to soak for about 15 minutes.
2. Get your wok heated up on medium high heat and add the sesame oil. Next, add the broccoli and saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add those onions and let them soften up for 2 minutes.
4. Move the broccoli and onions to one side of the pan and quickly scramble the eggs on the other side of the pan. Mix it all together and then push all of the ingredients to one side of the wok again.
5. Add those shrimp and cook for 2 minutes on each side before combining with the rest of the ingredients.
6. Dump in those tomatoes and saute for another 2 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the sauce ingredients together and get it ready. It’s almost sauce time.
7. Add the fresh basil and then drain the noodles and add those to the mix.
8. Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss it all together to combine. Cook for another 2-3 minutes until the noodles are heated through and the sauce has thickened a bit.
9. To serve, divide into bowl and slurp up that goodness!

If you like this, be sure to try my pad thai recipe too!