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Until I got this recipe book, Thai Food by Davd Thompson, I thought the name of the dish was Pad Thai. Oh well.  My eldest A has requested this for her special birthday dinner.  I have never made it before but know plenty of people who have ordered it.  That is always a good start.

Ingredients

a good handful of dried thin rice noodles
1 tablespoon palm sugar
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 tablespoon tamarind water
2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 small bunch Chinese chives
1 teaspoon oil
2 red shallots, coarsely chopped with a pinch of salt
1 egg
100 grams shredded chicken
1 tablespoon shredded radish
pinch of roasted chilli powder
handful of bean sprouts
1 tablespoon crushed roasted peanuts
1 lime wedge
extra 1 teaspoon roasted chilli powder

Method

Soak noodles in water for 2 hours until soft.  Drain.  Simmer palm sugar and white sugar with tamarind water and fish sauce for 1-2 minutes, until dissolved.  Chop most of the chinese chives into 2cm lengths, reserving a few, chopped into 5cm lengths for garnish.

Heat oil in a wok over a medium heat and fry shallots until fragrant  and begining to colour.  Crack in an egg, turn downt he heat and stir.  Mix in the chicken, (prawns if using)  and radish, then add noodles.  Turn up the heat and stir-fry for about a minute, allowing the noodles to colour a little.  Add the prepared sauce and the pinch of chilli powder then simmer for another 30 seconds - 1 minute, adding a little more oil if necessary.  Finally, add most of the bean sprouts and the chinese chives and cook for another 30 seconds until wilted.  Check the seasoning.  The dish should be sweet, sour and salty.

Pile on a plate and top with reserved bean sprouts and Chinese chives.  Serve with crushed roasted peanuts, a lime wedge nd roasted chilli powder ont he side of the plate.