Pad Thai with shrimp

Ingredients:

• 115 g of rice noodles for Pad Thai
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste
• 5 tsp palm or cane sugar
• 4 tsp fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped smoked tofu (about 60 g)
• 1 small shallot, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp finely chopped peeled ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 250 g medium-sized shrimp, peeled and gutted
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 3 shallots, cut into thirds widthwise and finely chopped
• 2 tsp salted peanuts, finely chopped
• Lime wedges, for serving

Preparation:

1. Place the noodles in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside until pliable and al dente, about 45-60 minutes. Drain and dry thoroughly.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce.Using your fingers, crumble the tamarind paste into pieces and place in a small bowl. Pour 1/4 cup boiling water over it and let it steep for 10 minutes. Mash with a fork to break up any lumps, then press through a fine-mesh sieve (or use a silicone spatula over the bowl), removing any seeds or tough bits. Add sugar, fish sauce, and a pinch of salt, and stir until smooth.
3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, then add the tofu, shallot, ginger, and garlic. Cook, stirring with a flat wooden spoon, until softened (but not browned), about 2 minutes. Add the noodles and a few tablespoons of the tamarind sauce. Cook, stirring and distributing the noodles around the skillet until they have absorbed all the sauce, about 1 minute. Add a few more teaspoons of tamarind sauce and cook for another 30 seconds to 1 minute.
4. Move the noodles to one side of the pan, and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the other. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook until halfway cooked (pink), 2-3 minutes. (Stir the noodles occasionally to make sure they don't stick to the pan.) Add the remaining tamarind sauce and toss to combine the noodles and shrimp.
5. Move the shrimp noodles to one side of the pan. Pour the eggs into the other pan, stir quickly, then leave them alone and fry until almost done. Transfer the shrimp noodles to the eggs, then flip everything over and break the omelet into large pieces. Remove from heat, add the bean sprouts and shallot stems, and stir quickly (you want the bean sprouts and green onions to remain crisp). Divide among bowls, sprinkle with peanuts, and serve with lime wedges.
   
   You can in Pad Thai add marinated tofu instead of smoked tofu.