Pad Thai

Ingredients (2 servings):

• 100 g thick rice noodles,
• for the sauce:
• 50 ml tamarind concentrate,
• 50 ml fish sauce,
• 50 ml palm sugar,
• 1 tsp chili powder (adjust to taste),
• 4 tbsp peanuts, 
• a splash (3--4 tbsp) of oil,
• 100 g chicken breasts, cubed (or 100 g (7 pcs) medium-sized shrimp, peeled, deveined),
• 100 g natural tofu, cubed,
• 1 clove chopped garlic,
• 2 eggs,
• 1 cup mungo sprouts.

Algorithm:

1. Soak the rice noodles until they're pliable and almost edile, like very al dente pasta, then drain well.
2. Prepare the sauce by mixing the tamarind concentrate, the fish sauce, and the palm sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding the chili powder (starting with 1 tsp and increasing the amount to taste).
3. Remove the sauce from heat. The sauce keeps in a closed jar in a refrigerator for quite a long time so you can prepare more.
4. Roast the peanuts over medium heat in a wok, then chop (either use a chopper, or furst crush with a side of a chef's knife (or a cleaver) and then chop carefully).
5. In the wok, increase the heat to high and add a splash of oil, wait until hot, almost smoking.
6. If making chicken Pad Thai, add the chicken, cook, stiring vigorously, until it's half-way done, 1--2 min.
7. Add the tofu, a 1--2 tbsp of the sauce to flavour the chicken, and the garlic.
8. Cook for another minute until the tofu is crisp and slightly brown at the edges.
9. Add the noodles and then a laddle (~ 1/4 cup) of warm sauce.
10. Stir-fry, keep everything moving in the wok, cook the noodles until soft (don't let them lump together). If the sauce evaporates too quickly and the noodles aren't quite ready, sprinkle a bit of water and keep stirring. Add a bit of oil if the noodles stick together.
11. When the noodles are ready (sample), make a place at the bottom of the wok and crack the eggs in the middle. Let them set for 10--15 sec and toss everything together.
12. Add the shrimps (if using), ground peanuts, bean sprouts. Keep things moving. Add more sauce if the contents of the wok looks too pale.
13. When the shrimps are done, remove from heat and serve.

Source: http://chezpim.com/cook/pad_thai_for_beginners