Thai Pad Thai

Place the dried rice noodles in a large bowl and cover with room-temperature water. Soak for 25–30 minutes until pliable and flexible but still slightly firm — they should bend without snapping but still have a distinct resistance when bitten. Drain well. Do not soak in boiling water: boiling softens the noodles too much before they hit the wok, and they will turn to mush under wok heat.

In a small saucepan, combine the tamarind paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely and the sauce is uniform. Taste: it should be a balanced blend of sour, salty, and sweet — adjust with more tamarind for sour, fish sauce for salty, or sugar for sweet. The balance should lean slightly sweet-sour.

Heat a wok over the highest heat possible until it smokes. Add the oil. When the oil shimmers and wisps of smoke appear, add the garlic and shallots — they should sizzle immediately and vigorously. Stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the dried shrimp if using, toss 15 seconds. Add the raw shrimp in a single layer. Cook 1 minute without moving, then toss. The shrimp should be nearly cooked through but not quite.

Add the drained noodles to the wok. Pour the pad thai sauce over. Toss constantly for 1–2 minutes. Push everything to one side, crack the eggs into the empty side, and scramble quickly until barely set, then fold into the noodles. Add the bean sprouts and green onions, toss twice, and serve immediately. Garnish with peanuts. Serve with extra fish sauce, chili flakes, sugar, and lime wedges at the table.