Pad thai with shrimp

Chop the palm sugar puck with a sharp knife until it crumbles.

Caramelize the palm sugar over relatively low heat, stirring from the edges, until it darkens a little; do not let it turn bitter. Optional: simply dissolve it instead.

Add water to stop the caramel, then fish sauce and tamarind. Turn off the heat; the hardened sugar dissolves in time. The sauce keeps in the fridge.

Soak the rice noodles in room temperature water for one hour, drain, and cut once with scissors to about half length. Soaked noodles keep sealed in the fridge for a few days.

If using extra firm tofu that may crumble, cut and fry it first to firm the outside.

Chop the dried shrimp fine with a knife or blitz in a food processor. Combine tofu, shallots, garlic, preserved radish, dried shrimp and optional chili flakes in one bowl.

Trim the tough ends of the garlic chives, cut into 1.5 to 2 inch pieces, wash well, and combine with the bean sprouts.

Heat the wok with a little oil. Sear the shrimp on one side, flip, turn off the heat and let residual heat finish them. Set aside.

Add more oil to the same wok over medium heat. Add the tofu bowl and saute until the garlic and shallots are wilted, adding oil if dry.

Add the noodles, then the sauce right away. Toss with tongs until the noodles absorb all the liquid.

If unsure the noodles are cooked, turn off the heat and taste; if underdone add a splash more water and keep cooking.

Push the noodles to one side, add a little oil and the eggs, break the yolks, push the noodles over the eggs and let sit about 30 seconds. Toss.

Add half the peanuts and all the vegetables, then turn off the heat and toss until they wilt.

Plate, scraping up the bits from around the wok so the first plate is not all noodles.

Cut the lime off the core into easy-to-squeeze pieces. Garnish with lime, extra peanuts, a side of bean sprouts, garlic chives cut on a sharp bias, and the shrimp on top.

Squeeze lime over and toss before eating.