Tofu Pad Thai

Method

1. 1

   Soak the noodles 20 to 30 min

   Cover the noodles with warm, not boiling, water and soak for 20 to 30 minutes, until soft and bendy but still with a firm white core. Drain well: they finish cooking in the pan.

2. 2

   Mix the sauce

   Stir the tamarind, soy sauce, sugar and lime juice together until the sugar dissolves. Taste it: it should be sour, sweet and salty all at once. Add a spoonful of water if it is very thick.

3. 3

   Crisp the tofu 6 to 8 min

   Pat the tofu dry and toss it in the cornflour. Fry it in 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, turning, until golden and crisp. Lift it out.

4. 4

   Shallot and garlic 1 min

   Add the last of the oil to the pan with the shallot and garlic and stir-fry for 1 minute, until soft and fragrant but not coloured.

5. 5

   Noodles and sauce 2 to 3 min

   Add the drained noodles and the sauce and toss constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, until the noodles have soaked up the sauce and are tender. Add a splash of water if they stick.

6. 6

   Finish

   Toss in the tofu, beansprouts and spring onions for 30 seconds, just until the beansprouts are warm but still crunchy. Serve scattered with the peanuts, with the lime wedges.