Pad Thai from Chef Angus An of Maenam

Here's how to make the Pad Thai featured on the CTV Morning Live Cook Off on Friday, April 8. The recipe is from chef Angus An's cookbook Maenam: A Fresh Approach to Thai Cooking.

Single serving or 2-4 people to share

Prep time: 30 min.

Cook time: 5 min.

Tamarind syrup

• 1 cup tamarind water
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 pandan leaf

Tip: Cut the tamarind brick or seeds into smaller pieces and soak your tamarind seeds in twice the amount of water overnight. Use your hands to massage the water into the sticky seeds and lose it up. Once the water is well-diluted with tamarind, pass it through a strainer and keep only the tamarind water. In some specialty Asian markets, you can buy pre-passed tamarind water.

Combine all the ingredients in a medium pot, bring to a simmer. Making sure the sugar is melted and not burned on the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes and cool to reserve for later.

Pad Thai

• 1/2 shallot, sliced
• 5-6 pieces tofu, sliced
• 1 Tbsp preserved radish
• 3-4 pieces sustainably farmed prawns
• 1 egg
• 2 cups Pad Thai noodle
• 1 cup water
• pinch roasted chili powder
• 4 to 6 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1/2 cup tamarind syrup
• 1/2 cup bean sprouts
• 1/4 cup Chinese chive

Garnish

• bean sprouts
• Chinese chive
• 1/4 lime
• 1 spoon-crushed peanuts

On medium flame in a wok with 1/3 ladle of oil, fry shallot and tofu together until caramelized but not too dark.

Add preserved radish and prawns.

Stir in egg and almost right after. Add the noodles. Toast noodle until turning white. DO NOT LET IT BURN.

Add water, chili and fish sauce and turn down heat to let absorb. Noodle should be pliable and slightly chewy but not firm.

Add syrup around the noodle to reduce and caramelize. A slight bitter caramelization will balance the sweetness of the sauce. Should smell slightly nutty.

Stir in bean sprouts and Chinese chives. Garnish with more bean sprouts, chives and a spoonful of crushed peanuts.