PHAT THAI

You must, must try this! Phat Thai, pronounced Pad Thai, is central Thailand’s greatest snack food. Sold in hawkers’ markets within Bangkok and in the many towns that surround it, it is never very spicy; the chillies are added at the end, usually by the consumer, sometimes along with other ingredients set out on tables. To me the special ingredient is pickled turnip, which you can buy from Asian stores, and which gives the noodles that extra sour dimension and crunchy texture.

Serves 6

600g (1lb 5oz) thick, flat rice noodles

A bunch of fresh coriander, with roots

20 garlic cloves, finely chopped

100ml (3½fl oz) vegetable oil

20 medium fresh raw prawns, peeled

150g (5½oz) pickled turnip, drained and chopped

30g (1oz) sugar

50ml (2fl oz) concentrated cooking tamarind (from supermarkets)

4 eggs, beaten

2tbsp oyster sauce

50ml (2fl oz) fish sauce

100g (3½oz) beansprouts

1 lime, juiced

1 bunch of spring onions, cut at an angle

100g (3½oz) roasted peanuts, crushed

3 fresh red chillies, de-seeded and sliced

Crispy fried onions, to serve

Soak the rice noodles in warm water for 20 minutes, then drain and keep to one side. Pick the leaves from the coriander and reserve, and discard the stems. Soak and wash the coriander roots, then pound the roots and garlic together using a mortar and pestle (if you have no roots use the coriander

stems). Heat the oil in a wok or deep frying pan over a high heat and when it’s shimmering, add the pounded garlic and coriander roots. Stir for a few moments, then add the prawns and half the pickled turnip.

Cook for 30 seconds, then add the sugar and tamarind. Add the noodles and toss, then add the eggs and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes. Pour in the oyster sauce and fish sauce and toss to mix, then stir-fry for 4-5 minutes. Add half the beansprouts and finally finish off with the lime juice, half the spring onions and half the peanuts.

Pile the noodles into a large serving dish and garnish with the remaining turnip, beansprouts, spring onion and roasted peanuts, and the coriander leaves, chillies and crispy fried onions.

From John Torode’s Sydney To Seoul, Headline Home, €31.