Vegan pad thai

Step 1

Prepare rice noodles according to the instructions on the packet, but do not cook them fully as you'll give them another minute or two in the wok after. After you immerse them in soaking water, lift the lid and give the noodles a good stir to prevent them from clumping together and sticking to the bottom of the pot. Give them another good stir half way through the soaking time.

Step 2

Once the time is up, drain the noodles and set aside. You may want to stir a little bit of oil through them to prevent them from sticking together but I do not find this necessary.

Step 3

Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. If you are using a shop-bought tamarind puree / paste, go easy on it at first as it is apparently more concentrated (and therefore more sour) than if you make your paste from a tamarind block (see notes) yourself.

Step 4

Heat up a wok or a large frying pan. Pour 1 tbsp of oil and heat it up until almost smoking. Add spring onions, garlic and chilli.

Step 5

Stir-fry (stirring constantly) until spring onions soften and garlic becomes fragrant. Transfer to a separate plate, leaving as much oil in the wok as you can.

Step 6

Heat up another tablespoon of oil in the same wok - no need to wash it. Start adding prepared veggies in the following order (leaving a minute or two between each addition): broccoli, peas, red pepper and carrot ribbons. Stir-fry until cooked yet still crunchy.

Step 7

Transfer all vegetables to a big plate and pour the sauce to the bottom of the wok. Add in noodles - they may have clumped together a little, but the sauce and heat of the work will separate them again.

Step 8

Add spring onions, chilli, garlic and stir-fried veg back to the wok. Mix everything well and let it warm up, stirring the whole time, for a minute or two.

Step 9

Divide between two plates, sprinkle with sprouts and crushed peanuts. Serve with lime wedges on the side.