Pad Thai recipe - Recipes - BBC Good Food

Soften the rice noodles: Tip the noodles into a large bowl and pour over a kettle of boiling water until they are covered. Leave to stand for 5-10 mins until the noodles are soft, then drain well. (You can do this part ahead of time - then just run the noodles under cold water until cool, and toss through a little oil to stop them from sticking.) Next, mix together the tamarind paste, fish sauce and sugar in a small bowl.

Stir-fry the vegetables: Peel and finely chop the garlic. Trim the ends off the spring onions and cut into thin slices about 1cm long. Heat a wok or large frying pan over a high heat. When it's really hot (a drop of water should sizzle straight away), pour in the oil and swirl around. Tip in garlic and spring onions. To stir-fry, take a spatula or tongs and toss the veg around the wok so they're moving all the time. Cook for 30 secs, just until they begin to soften.

Cook the egg: Push the vegetables to the sides of the wok, then crack the egg into the centre. Keep stirring the egg for 30 secs until it begins to set and resembles a broken-up omelette.

To finish: Add the prawns and beansprouts, followed by the noodles, then pour over the fish sauce mixture. Toss everything together and heat through. Spoon out onto plates. Serve with some chopped peanuts sprinkled over and wedges of lime.

Cleaning your wok The best way to take care of a non-stick wok is to season it after use. To do this, heat your wok with 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tbsp salt. Swirl around the pan to coat. Then leave to cool and wipe off the salt crust with kitchen paper. This helps to keep your wok clean and stops the food from sticking.