Drunken or Smothered?

Tough call, right? I recently tested two new recipes, one drunken and one smothered. I was curious if one would edge out the other. Maybe one would look better on a plate. Maybe one would be tastier. Maybe one would be easier.

Spoiler alert: It was a solid tie that I truly could not break.

The first dish - Drunken Noodles. I did not name the dish, but it is basically noodles swimming in an umami-rich sauce. The rest of the ingredients are up to you but here is how I made mine.

For the sauce, I combined two tablespoons dark soy sauce, one tablespoon oyster sauce. one and a half tablespoons fish sauce, one tablespoon sugar, one teaspoon sriracha, one teaspoon chili garlic sauce, one tablespoon red curry paste, one teaspoon grated ginger, one teaspoon minced garlic, and one tablespoon chopped Thai basil leaves.

I also prepared the rest of the ingredients - one half cup of halved cherry tomatoes, one thinly sliced small onion, one chopped serrano pepper, three minced cloves of garlic, and one quarter cup Thai basil leaves.

I cooked four cups of rice noodles in salted boiling water and preheated my wok with a tablespoon of canola oil. Once the oil was almost smoking, I added the garlic and cooked for thirty seconds, until the garlic started to brown, but not burn.

I added two extra large eggs and the serrano, stir frying for several minutes.

Next up, I added the onions, and three quarters pound of large peeled and deveined shrimp. I cooked until the onions started to soften and the shrimp started to turn pink, about two minutes.

The final step was to add the tomatoes, Thai basil, rice noodles, and sauce. I tossed until everything was combined and the noodles were drunken.

Looked amazing.

Tasted amazing.

Easy to make.

Checked all the boxes.

And for dish number two, I made Smothered Thai Curry Meatballs.

I started by making the rice using my pressure cooker. I combined one and half cups of jasmine rice with one and a half cups chicken stock, a pinch of turmeric, and a teaspoon of salt. I let it cook while I made the meatballs.

For the meatballs, I combined (just until mixed) one pound of lean ground turkey, one cup of panko bread crumbs, one egg, three chopped scallions, three cloves grated garlic, one teaspoon grated ginger, one teaspoon red curry paste, and a big pinch of salt.

I used a small ice cream scoop to portion the meatballs, approximately one and a half tablespoons each, and placed them on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. I baked at 400 degrees for fifteen minutes, turning after eight minutes.

For the curry sauce, I started by sautéing a thinly sliced yellow bell pepper in a tablespoon of canola oil.

Once softened, I added one quarter cup red curry paste and cooked for a minute until the paste started toasting. To the pan, I added two cans of coconut milk, two tablespoons light brown sugar, and one tablespoon each of fish sauce and lime juice.

I added the meatballs to the sauce, brought it to a simmer, and let it cook for five minutes, until the meatballs were fully coated and the sauce was starting to thicken, and then I added one cup of frozen peas.

To finish, I added a tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro, served with the rice and naan, and let everyone build their own bowls.

Looked amazing.

Tasted amazing.

Easy to make.

Checked all the boxes.

Truth be told, these two dishes finished in a tie and I would cook/eat either of them again any day. They are THAT good. Try one or both for yourself and let me know what you think!