EASY PAD THAI
(Serves 2 • Preparation time : 10 minutes plus soaking • Cooking time : 5-10 minutes) 

It’s better to make this in small batches, so the recipe here feeds two.

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150g rice noodles
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
150-200g raw peeled prawns
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 handfuls of bean sprouts
2 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
2 tablespoons dried prawns
2 tablespoons unsalted, roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
3 tablespoons nam pla (fish sauce)
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon tamarind purée
1/4 teaspoon chilli powder

For the garnish :
2 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
1 tablespoon fresh coriander, leaves picked
a few slices of cucumber (optional)
1/2 tablespoon unsalted, roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
2 lime wedges
1. Soak the rice noodles in warm water for 5-10 minutes, or until they’re just malleable. (The instructions on the packet will probably say to soak them for 15-20 minutes, but this will make them too soggy for the finished dish.) Drain, rinse and set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a wok over a high flame. Add the garlic and stir-fry quickly until just turning golden. Add the fresh prawns and stir-fry for a minute or two. Then add the noodles and stir through before adding the eggs, bean sprouts, spring onions, dried prawns and peanuts, stirring after each addition.

3. When everything is well combined, add the nam pla, lime juice, sugar, chilli powder and tamarind purée. Stir thoroughly, then serve at once, garnished with spring onion, coriander, cucumber and peanuts, with lime wedges on the side.


TIPS *
If you prefer, you can change the prawns for the same amount of chicken or pork.