How to Make Crybaby Noodles at Home | Step-by-Step Guide

If you love spicy food that tingles your tastebuds, get ready to meet your match with Crybaby Noodles. This Thai-inspired dish packs a fiery punch that will have you breaking a sweat and yelling for more.

In this recipe, we strike the perfect balance between the aromatic flavors of lemongrass, ginger, and garlic with the blistering heat of Thai chilies. While definitely on the spicier side, the complex flavors keep you going back for bite after bite. We tame the heat ever so slightly with a splash of coconut milk, adding a hint of creamy sweetness to round things out.

The result is a mouth-watering plate of noodles drenched in a lip-smacking curry-like sauce that provides a slow, lasting burn. With just enough heat, these noodles will have your mouth crying for mercy. But one taste and you’ll quickly become addicted to the intoxicating spice. So get ready to feel the fire with this excessively spicy, boldly flavored Thai noodle dish. Just make sure to have plenty of water and tissues on hand!

What is Cry Baby Noodles?

Cry Baby Noodles, also known as Pad Ngor Ngae, gained immense popularity from its feature in the Netflix film “Hunger.” While not a traditional Thai dish, its appearance in the movie has led to a surge in its popularity, particularly among food enthusiasts and fans of the film.

In “Hunger,” Cry Baby Noodles is a dish that symbolizes tradition, family, and authenticity. It contrasts with the extravagant and often bizarre culinary creations of the elite dining world portrayed in the movie. The dish represents a grounding element, embodying love, warmth, and the essence of home-cooked meals within the film’s narrative.

What do Cry Baby Noodles taste like?

Cry Baby Noodles tastes similar to classic Pad Thai, featuring a mouthwatering blend of flavors and textures. The dish contains soft rice noodles, chicken, and vegetables, all in a sweet, salty, and slightly spicy sauce.

The sauce mixes soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a hint of sugar, delivering a balanced sweet and salty taste. Ingredients like Chinese sausage and dried shrimp contribute a delicious umami and subtle sweetness. Spicy XO sauce and miso paste infuse the noodles with a savory, seafood-rich flavor and a tingling heat.

The level of spiciness can be adjusted based on preference. While XO sauce adds a bold kick, the sweet notes help temper the burning sensation. The dish also offers an array of textures, from the chewy noodles to the crispy shrimp and tender chicken.

Like other customizable noodle dishes, Cry Baby Noodles can be adapted by swapping ingredients like shrimp for additional chicken or adding different vegetables. This flexibility makes it easy to tailor the dish to individual tastes.

Overall, Cry Baby Noodles deliver a complex medley of sweet, salty, savory, and spicy flavors, with soft, chewy, and crispy textures in each mouthwatering bite. The name hints at its potential to bring tears to your eyes, but its addictive flavor will have you going back for more.

Why Hunger’s Cry Baby Noodles Are Getting All the Hype

In the Netflix film Hunger, Cry Baby Noodles stand out as a symbol of comfort amidst a world of power struggles. While the movie centers around a chef’s unrealistic rise in Bangkok’s elite culinary scene, it also provides commentary on privilege divides in Thailand. The wealthy indulge in lavish, bizarre meals, while the poor eat simply to curb hunger.

Chef Paul uses food as a display of power, with grotesque scenes of the rich ruthlessly devouring meat. But away from these homes, Aoy’s Cry Baby Noodles gain attention. We first see them when Aoy’s father makes them at their street restaurant. Later, Aoy brings them to Chef Paul in a Tupperware, claiming the dish will make him feel better.

In the final cook-off between Paul and Aoy, the young chef sticks to her roots and makes Cry Baby Noodles to impress the crowd. They enjoy it briefly before Paul steals back their gaze. As he exits, Paul tells Aoy that prejudice prevents her victory no matter how good her food is.

Yet the viewer roots for Aoy and those mouthwatering shots of her noodles. The humble Cry Baby Noodles win us over in a world of exotic meals and cigarette sauce. They represent the triumph of good and the sentimental comfort of sincere, homemade food. Beyond class divides, the noodles showcase the universal human need for love and warmth. Their hype comes from their ability to touch our hearts and remind us of what truly matters.

What Need for This Noodle Make for

To create Cry Baby Noodles, a flavorful and texturally diverse dish inspired by Netflix’s “Hunger,” you’ll need a blend of specific ingredients.

• 2 Eggs – Add a rich, creamy texture
• 1 tsp MSG – Boost the savory umami taste
• 1 tsp Salt – Balance and blend the flavors
• 1 tbsp minced Ginger – Give a fresh, spicy kick
• 3 tbsp Soy Sauce – Contribute a salty, umami flavor
• Chopped Scallions – Provide a bright, onion-like flavor and garnish
• 1/2 cup Dried Shrimp – Bring a seafood flavor and crispy texture
• 2 tbsp Oyster Sauce – Offer sweet and savory depth
• 1/4 cup diced Fish Cake Tofu – Give a soft texture and subtle flavor
• 10-12 oz Rice Noodles – Form the starchy base
• 2 cloves minced Garlic – Bring a pungent, spicy flavor
• 1/2 cup sliced Lap Cheong Sausage – Add a savory and slightly sweet taste
• 1 tbsp XO Sauce and 1 tbsp Miso Paste – Create a rich, umami flavor base when combined

Kitchen Equipment

• Stirring Utensil
• Wok or Large Frying Pan
• Pot for Boiling the Noodles
• Medium-sized Saucepan
• Knife and Cutting Board
• Measuring Spoons and Cups

Step-by-step Instructions for Making Crybaby Noodles

To prepare Cry Baby Noodles with more detailed instructions, here’s a step-by-step guide to enhancing your cooking experience:

Prepping the Ingredients: Start by dicing the lap cheong (Chinese sausage) and fish cake tofu into smaller, bite-sized pieces for easier cooking and a balanced distribution of flavors in each bite.

Frying the Dried Shrimp: Heat some oil in a wok over medium heat. Add the dried shrimp and fry them for about 60 seconds. The goal is to make the shrimp crispy and golden, infusing the oil with a rich seafood flavor.

Cooking the Lap Cheong: Add the diced lap cheong to the same wok after removing the shrimp. Fry it for approximately 2 minutes. You want the lap cheong to slightly crisp up, releasing its smoky and sweet flavors into the oil.

Adding Aromatics: Next, introduce the minced garlic and ginger to the wok, frying them for about 30 seconds. This step is crucial as it releases their aromatic fragrances, adding depth to the dish.

Scrambling the Eggs: Crack the eggs directly into the wok and scramble them with the lap cheong and aromatics. The eggs act as a binder, helping to combine all the flavors.

Stir-Frying the Noodles: Add the cooked rice noodles to the wok. Stir-fry everything together for 2-3 minutes. The goal here is to allow the noodles to char and slightly absorb the flavors from the other ingredients.

Saucing the Dish: Add the XO sauce, miso paste, soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Stir everything well, ensuring the noodles are evenly coated with the sauce.

Final Touches: Return the crispy dried shrimp to the wok, adding the diced fish cake tofu and chopped scallions. Stir-fry everything together for an additional minute to let the flavors meld.

Ready to Serve: Serve the noodles immediately while they are still hot. The result is a plate of steaming, flavorful Cry Baby Noodles prepared to be enjoyed.

How to Do More Testy Crybaby Noodles

Here are some delicious pairings to enjoy with your plate of Cry Baby Noodles:

Cool Cucumber Salad

Slice cucumbers thinly and mix them with a dressing of vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of salt. This salad brings a refreshing contrast to the noodles’ spiciness.

Brew Chilly Ginger Iced Tea

Make a strong ginger tea, let it cool, then add ice and sweeten as desired. The ginger’s kick pairs well with the noodles’ flavors.

Moroccan Mint Tea

Brew green tea with fresh mint leaves and sweeten to your taste. This soothing tea offers a pleasant contrast to the noodles.

Make Calamansi Juice, Filipino Style

Squeeze fresh Calamansi for juice, and mix with water and sugar. This tangy juice complements the noodles’ rich flavors.

No matter what you choose, having cooling, thirst-quenching sides and drinks on hand is a must with the intense heat of Cry Baby Noodles!