Pad thai woon sen (glass noodle pad thai) with shrimp fat

Melt finely chopped palm sugar in a pot over low heat, stirring so it browns evenly, and caramelize a little without letting it go bitter.

Turn off the heat and add water; any undissolved sugar dissolves as it sits or with a little more cooking.

Add fish sauce and homemade tamarind paste; set the sauce aside.

Soak the glass noodles in room-temperature water about seven minutes; drain and cut in half.

Cook the shrimp heads slowly in some oil, pressing them so the orange fat comes out, a few minutes until they brown and smell grilled; drain off the shrimp fat.

Sear the shrimp in the shrimp fat in a wok, flip when halfway done and browned, and take them out when done.

Add a little more shrimp fat if needed and, over medium heat, cook the shallots, garlic, chili flakes and pressed tofu.

Once the garlic browns, add the noodles, toss, then add all the sauce and cook until absorbed, with a splash of extra water.

When mostly dry, lower the heat, push the noodles aside, add the last oil, crack in the eggs, break the yolks and scramble slightly, then cover with the noodles and let the eggs cook underneath.

Taste the noodles; if too firm, add a little water and cook more.

Off the heat, add lots of bean sprouts, garlic chives, pounded peanuts and the shrimp with their juices; toss so the sprouts stay crunchy.

Plate so the first plate gets its share of the bits at the bottom; garnish with a wedge of lime, extra peanuts and a little pile of chilies.