Pad Thai

Shave the palm sugar thinly, then run through it again horizontally before packing it into spoons or weighing it.

Put the palm sugar in a heatproof glass with three tablespoons of water and microwave 30 seconds. Stir, pressing any big chunks with the back of a spoon.

Stir in the tamarind and the fish sauce. The sauce keeps a long time in the fridge.

Soak the dry noodles in plain cold water anywhere from an hour to overnight, until white, completely soft and pliable, then drain.

For chewier noodles soak only an hour to an hour and a half.

Chop the preserved radish in a food processor or mince it with a knife.

Rinse and drain the dried shrimp and give them a rough chop.

Combine the radish, shallots, garlic, dried shrimp, tofu and chili flakes in one bowl, and the bean sprouts, garlic chives and half the peanuts in another.

Get a little vegetable oil very hot in a wok. Add the shrimp and do not move them until halfway done so they brown, then sear the top and remove.

Add more oil to the same pan and saute the bowl of aromatics until the garlic browns and the tofu takes colour.

Add the noodles and the sauce and keep stirring and flipping so the liquid is absorbed evenly, until it has all disappeared.

Push the noodles aside, add the eggs, scramble a little, swirl and let them set, then put the noodles on top and let it set 10 to 15 seconds.

Add all the bean sprouts and garlic chives, toss, and turn the heat off.

Plate, distributing the tofu and small pieces through the noodles.

Garnish with extra bean sprouts and garlic chives on the side, a slice of lime, three of the shrimp, the other half of the peanuts on top, and extra chili flakes on the side.