Cry Baby Noodles
If you’ve watched the movie “Hunger” on Netflix, you’ve likely come across a street food known as “Pad Ngor Ngae” or Cry Baby Noodles. This comfort dish, once claimed by the notorious Chef Paul, is said to be born out of necessity rather than affection. The term “ngor ngae” translates to crying. Legend has it that in Thailand, some families hastily assemble ingredients with a hint of sweetness and savory flavors to prepare this dish when their children become hangry and start crying.

Pad Ngor Ngae or Cry Baby Noodles from “Hunger”
The final appearance of Cry Baby Noodles comes at the end of the film, during a cook-off between Chef Paul and Aoy, where the young chef decides to make this dish to woo the crowd. My version of this noodles have both fresh and dried shrimps as to demonstrate to you that you should not be discourage from making this dish if you are not able to find any dried shrimps.
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Tips and Tricks
- If you have a hard time finding dried shrimps, don’t sweat and use the fresh shrimps instead. Fortunately, the XO sauce also has dried shrimps in it. Moreover, adding some fresh shrimps is only going to make it more delicious!
- If you decide to use the dried flat rice noodles, you will need to make sure that you soak it in the hot water for at least 10 to 15 minutes or until al dente. Then rinse the noodles with cold water to prevent from sticking. After that you can use them for your stir fry as usual.
- Fry/cook the Chinese sausage with water instead of oil to prevent it from drying and getting tough to chew. By the time water is evaporated, the oil from the sausage will come out. This will give you glossy and more juicy cooked sausage. Moreover, if you have any extra, considering using them in my one pot chicken and rice.
- I understand that you may encounter many new ingredients in this recipe. Don’t worry. Click on the links of ingredients in the recipe, you will see what I use.
Dishes that you can make with Flat Rice Noodle.
If you love the taste and texture of the flat rice noodles, consider using it in other dishes as well. This includes Authentic Drunken Noodles, Rad Na, Pad Seew, and Tom Yum Soup Noodles.
Cry Baby Noodles (Pad Ngor Ngae : ผัดงอแง)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp Hoisin sauce
- 3 tbsp XO sauce
- 2 tbsp white miso paste
- 3 tbsp chili oil
- 1 lb flat rice noodle
- 2 Chinese sausage
- ½ cup diced tofu
- 3-4 egg
- ¼ dried shrimps
- 12 fresh shrimps
- ¼ cup water
- 1 green onion
Instructions
Prepare the fresh flat rice noodles.
- Warm the flat rice noodles in the microwave for 2 minutes. Then cut and separate the noodles. Set it aside.
- Remember that if you decide to use the dried noodles, you must rehydrate and soften it by soaking it in the hot water for about 10-15 minutes or until al den te.
Prepare the sauce and the adds on
- Pad the shrimps and tofu dried then dice the tofu. Slice the Chinese sausage and chop some green onion
- Make the Cry Baby sauce : combine Hoisin sauce, XO sauce, miso paste, and chili oil together.
- Cook: the Chinese sausage as if you are frying it. However, use 1/4 cup of water instead of oil to prevent the sausage from drying and getting tough. You know it is ready when all the water is gone and the sausage renders some fat. It will really look glossy as if you have fried it.
- Heat the wok and add some vegetable oil. Use as much oil as you need and as less as you can! Fry the dried and fresh shrimps until they turn pink/golden and a little brown. Fry tofu until it’s golden. Set them aside.
Assemble
- Wipe the wok clean and add oil. Once the wok is smoking hot, add the flat rice noodles. Follow my the Cry Baby sauce. Mix well and let it charred for a minute. Push the noodles to the side. Add oil then eggs. Let the eggs cooked for a minute before scrambling it and mix with the noodles. Add other proteins that you cooked earlier to the wok. Mix well.
- Garnish with green onion and enjoy!
Video
@stickyricethaikitchen Cry Baby Noodle : ผัด งอแง recipe Inspired by the movie “Hunger” on NetFlix Ingredients 5 Tbsp Hoisin Sauce 3 Tbsp XO sauce 2 Tbsp white miso paste 3 Tbsp chili oil 1 lb flat rice noodle 2 Chinese sausage 1/2 cup diced tofu 3-4 eggs 1/4 cup dried or / and fresh shrimps 1/4 cup water Green onion vegetable oil Instructions 1. Warm the flat rice noodles in the microwave for 2 minutes. Then cut and separate the noodles. Set it aside. 2. Pad the shrimps and tofu dried then dice the tofu. Slice the Chinese sausage and chop some green onion. 3. Make the Cry Baby sauce : combine Hoisin sauce, XO sauce, miso paste, and chili oil together. 4. Cook: the Chinese sausage as if you are frying it. However, use 1/4 cup of water instead of oil to prevent the sausage from drying and getting tough. You know it is ready when all the water is gone and the sausage renders some fat. It will really look glossy as if you have fried it. 5. Heat the wok and add some vegetable oil. Use as much oil as you need and as less as you can! Fry the dried and fresh shrimps until they turn pink/golden and a little brown. Fry tofu until it’s golden. Set them aside. 6. Assemble: Wipe the wok clean and add oil. Once the wok is smoking hot, add the flat rice noodles. Follow my the Cry Baby sauce. Mix well and let it charred for a minute. Push the noodles to the side. Add oil then eggs. Let the eggs cooked for a minute before scrambling it and mix with the noodles. Add other proteins that you cooked earlier to the wok. Mix well. 7. Garnish with green onion and enjoy! 8. Get the printable recipe along with tips and tricks @www.stickyricethaikitchen.com/cry-baby-noodles-recipe/ #ผัดงอแง#crybabynoodles#noodles#stirfrynoodles#streetfood#thaifood#homemadefood#hunger#inspiration#summerfoodie#tiktokfood#comfortfood#flatricenoodles#ricenoodles
♬ Nice and Easy – Louis Adrien
We liked it but both agree it leaves quite an oily residue in your mouth and gut.
The Chinese sausage can be quite greasy. Another reason not to fry them in oil. Thank you for an honest review 🙂