Pad Thai

The paste you make for this pad Thai is key. Do try and source coriander roots (i.e. not just the stalks) – they have a fresh aromatic taste, which will transport you to the streets of Bangkok.

SERVES 4 PREP 25 mins COOK 10 mins EASY

2 tbsp sunflower oil

1 courgette, spiralised or finely julienned

1 green pepper, very thinly sliced

1 large carrot, spiralised or finely julienned

6 spring onions, thinly sliced 100g beansprouts

250g pack of ready-cooked rice noodles

3 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp light brown soft sugar 2 large free-range eggs, beaten good handful each of coriander, Thai basil and Thai mint good handful of salted peanuts, roughly chopped lime wedges, to serve

For the pad Thai paste

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped good handful of coriander, leaves and roots or stalks

1 red chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped

2 limes, zested and juiced

Using a pestle and mortar or food processor, make the pad Thai paste from the garlic, coriander, red chilli and lime zest (reserve the juice).

Heat the oil in a wok or a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. When the oil is just at smoking point, add the paste and fry for about 1 min until it becomes aromatic. Add the vegetables, half the spring onions and beansprouts and stir-fry to coat in the paste for 5 mins, or until just tender.

Add the noodles and mix through. Add the reserved lime juice, fish sauce and brown sugar and cook for 2 mins. Pour in the beaten egg and mix through the noodles until just cooked – the trick here is to allow the eggs to slightly set before mixing.

Using tongs, twist the noodles onto plates and garnish with the remaining spring onions and beansprouts, herbs, chopped peanuts and lime wedges.

GOOD TO KNOW low cal • folate • vit c • 2 of 5-a-day PER SERVING 328 kcals • fat 16g • saturates 3g • carbs 33g • sugars 10g • fibre 5g • protein 12g • salt 2.5g