Easy, Authentic Pad Thai Recipe

I promise this will be better than any takeout you've ever had. Recipe as follows:

Ingredients:

For the Pad Thai Sauce:
2.5 ounces palm sugar, roughly chopped (70 grams)
½ cup tamarind paste (145 g)
¼ cup fish sauce (65g)

For the Pad Thai:
4 ounces dry rice noodles
½ cup vegetable oil (85 g)
12 shrimp, peeled and deveined (250g)
½ cup chopped shallot (100 g) (about 3 shallots)
6 large garlic cloves, chopped (40 g)
4 ounces firm tofu, cut into ¼ inch cubes
1 teaspoon Thai chili flakes, optional
2 tablespoons chopped dried shrimp (15 g)
3 TB sweet preserved daikon (40 g)
6 ounces bean sprouts (175 g)
10 garlic chives, cut into 2 inch sections (70g)
¼ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (40 g)

For Serving:
Lime wedges
Chili flakes
Roasted peanuts
Bean sprouts
Garlic chives

Directions:

For the Pad Thai Sauce:
1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the palm sugar and cook until the palm sugar melts. Swirl the pan and cook the palm sugar for another 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until it caramelizes and turns a light brown color.
2. Carefully add the tamarind paste, fish sauce and 6 tablespoons of water (the mixture will sputter aggressively here) and stir to combine. The sugar may harden, but that is normal. Bring back up to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar melts again.
3. Remove from the heat and let it cool.

For the Pad Thai:
1. Place the noodles in a large mixing bowl. Cover with room temperature water and soak for 1 hour, or until the noodles are slightly malleable, but not soft.
2. Drain the noodles and set aside until ready to cook.
3. Place a carbon wok on the highest heat possible. Add ¼ cup (85 g) vegetable oil and swirl it around to coat the wok in oil. Once the oil reaches the smoking point, dump it out into a heat proof container. This will help season the wok and prevent any sticking while cooking.
4. In a medium mixing bowl add the tofu, shallots, garlic, chili flakes if using, preserved radish, and dried shrimp. Toss together to combine and set aside.
5. With the wok still on high heat, add 2 TB oil. Once the oil is shimmering and just beginning to smoke, add the shrimp. Cook for 2 minutes, or until bright pink on both sides. Remove the wok from the heat and transfer the shrimp to a bowl. Set aside.
6. Add the remaining oil and once shimmering, add the tofu mixture. Toss to coat in the oil and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until the shallots are golden brown on the edges and translucent in the middle.
7. Add the noodles and half of the sauce. Toss frequently to combine and incorporate the sauce with the noodles and tofu. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the sauce is mostly absorbed. Reserve the remaining sauce for another batch.
8. Push the noodle mixture to one side of the wok and add the eggs. Lightly scramble with chopsticks, then cover the eggs with the noodles. Cook for 1 minute, or until the egg lightly browns in spots. Toss to combine it into the noodles.
9. Add the shrimp back to the wok and toss to combine, cook for 1 minute.
10. Remove the wok from the heat and add the garlic chives and bean sprouts. Toss to combine and lightly wilt the sprouts, chives, and half of the peanuts.
11. Transfer to a plate and serve with lime, the remaining peanuts, more chili flakes, bean sprouts, and garlic chives.

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