Shrimp pad Thai recipe

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons pad thai paste
• 2 teaspoons tamarind paste/concentrate
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) water
• 2 to 4 teaspoons Asian chilli sauce (preferably Sriracha) or 1 to 2 teaspoons Asian chilli powder or ground red pepper

• 8 oz (250 g) dried rice noodles (medium thickness)
• 3 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 lb (500 g) peeled, deveined raw shrimp
• 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
• 4 green onions (scallions), cut into lengths
• 1 cup (100 g) fresh bean sprouts
• 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
• ½ cup (80 g) coarsely chopped unsalted dry roasted peanuts

1. In a large bowl, soak the rice noodles in hot water (not boiling, just hot straight from tap) for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Combine the ingredients for the Pad Thai Sauce in a bowl.
3. Check back on the noodles. The noodles are sufficiently soaked when they are flexible but still a bit stiff. Drain them and set aside.
4. In a wok or large sauté pan over high heat, add just 1 tablespoon of the oil. When the oil is very hot, add the beaten eggs and swirl gently while it sets. Use your spatula to scramble the eggs and then remove from the wok.
5. Wipe the wok down with clean paper towels. Return the heat to high and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil is very hot, add the shrimp and fry 1 minute, until cooked halfway through. Push the shrimp to one side or up the sides of the wok. To an empty area of the wok, add the garlic and green onions and stir-fry 15 to 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the drained noodles, the cooked eggs and the Pad Thai Sauce. Toss until all ingredients are well combined. Cover the wok and let simmer until the noodles are soft and cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Check at the 1-minute mark and if the noodles are still a bit stiff, cover and cook another minute. The noodles should have soaked up a lot of the sauce, and you should taste a combination of sweet, salty, a little heat and a zing of tartness. Serve with the fresh bean sprouts, lime wedges and chopped peanuts at the table.