Pad thai with a make-ahead bulk pad thai sauce

Sauce: in a pot over low heat, saute the shallots and chopped garlic in oil until soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes; a little caramelization on the shallots is fine. Remove them from the pot.

Return the pot to the stove over medium-low, add the palm sugar and let it dissolve, scraping the bottom; let it caramelize a little without burning, then turn off the heat.

Add the tamarind, let it settle, then turn the heat back on to dissolve the rest of the sugar and add the fish sauce. Taste for sourness and adjust the tamarind.

When most of the sugar has dissolved, return the shallots and garlic. Measure the sauce volume and divide by eight servings; label the container with a quarter cup of sauce and one and a half tablespoons of water per serving.

Soak the noodles at room temperature about an hour, drain and refrigerate; they keep at least three days.

Cook the protein in advance; cut the garlic chives, chop the peanuts and cut the tofu, keeping the tofu in water.

In a hot wok, heat the tofu, dry shrimp and sweet preserved radish.

Add the noodles, the sauce and the water for each portion; cook until all the sauce is absorbed. Cook no more than two or three portions per batch or the noodles boil and go soggy.

When the noodles are almost dry, push them aside, add a little oil and the egg, break the yolk, set the noodles back on top and let it brown like an omelet; toss.

Turn off the heat; add the garlic chives, bean sprouts, peanuts and the shrimp and toss until wilted.

Garnish with more bean sprouts, garlic chives, a wedge of lime and fresh peanuts; add chili flakes to taste.