Pad Thai, Stir Fried Noodles

This recipe is a bit of a combination of a recipe from Chiang Mai Thai Cookery School I spent couple of days at in 1998, and a Jamie Oliver recipe 

Serves 4

4 rice noodle nests
3 tbsp sunflower oil
2 tbsp chopped garlic

4 shallots, peeled & finely sliced

400g firm tofu, cubed

250g cooked peeled prawns (leave out if vegetarian)

2 eggs beaten

300g beansprouts 

4 tbsp tamarind sauce 

4 tbsp fish sauce

1/2 tsp hot chilli flakes 

4 tbsp dried mint

4 tbsp peanuts, crushed

Cook the noodles following the instructions on the packet. Traditionally Pad Thai uses wide rice noodles but in addition to these sticking together too much when I cook them, vermicelli type rice noodles are much easier to come by. Leave soaking in chilled water until ready to use.

Heat the oil in a wok over a medium high heat.  Stir fry the garlic and shallots for a minute or so.  Add the tofu, stir then add the prawns, Stir fry for a minute or so, boiling off any water. Pour in the beaten egg and stir around until it scrambles. Add the beansprouts, stir around and then add the drained noodles.  Once the noodles are hot, stir in the rest of the ingredients and serve piping hot (the crushed peanuts were added in the topping above as I have one family member who doesn't like them).

NB Aesthetically (and probably nutritionally), I feel this recipe could do with a bit more colour/green. The Chiang Mai Cookery School recipe does suggest chives or cabbage, and I do think a some spring greens could have been added after the garlic & shallots if I  had had some.

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