DIY WAGAMAMA PAD THAI

Believe it or not, my first time at Wagamama was only early this year and it definitely wasn't my last. However, on my numerous visits since, I haven't ventured away from a few firm favourites. I always have to get a side of the crispy chilli squid - I can't get enough of that stuff, and I've alternated between two dishes on each visit; the chicken firecracker (because I'm a lover of anything spicy) and the pad Thai. This was the first dish I ever tried and I loved it, now I always find myself craving 'wagas' as I call it, so I decided to look for recipes to recreate it at home because I thought it would be simple enough.

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This recipe has taken a few key ingredients from the recipes I found online, with one or two substitutes or additions I thought would work well. Luckily most of the ingredients needed were already in the cupboard so I didn't have to buy much else, apart from fresh ingredients like spring onions, coriander and lime. I think the fresh lime, coriander, and crushed peanuts really make this dish look and taste great, so don't ditch them (unless you have a nut allergy of course!)

Recipe

• I used one Blue Dragon egg noodle nest per person but most recipes suggest rice or udon noodles
• 1 Chicken breast cut into chunks
• 10 (approx) frozen king prawns (if using fresh I'd recommend adding these right near the end)
• Half a red onion sliced finely
• 3-4 spring onions sliced, using both the white and green bits
• Half a fresh red chilli, finely sliced
• 3 small dried chillies, crushed into small pieces
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 lime, juice of half, other half sliced into wedges for serving
• 100g beansprouts (I couldn't find these in my local shop so substituted other veg: half a green pepper sliced, 1 carrot, sliced into matchsticks, and approximately half a leek sliced)
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 tsp chopped ginger (I used the jar stuff)
• 2 tbsp crushed peanuts (I used a pestle and mortar to do this)
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• A bunch of coriander, torn to serve

Method

First, cook the noodles according to the instructions. Once cooked, drain and set aside (I add a small amount of the water they cooked in, to the recipe to loosen the sauce).

Heat a wok with a little oil, and over a medium-high heat cook the beaten egg so that it makes a sort of omelette, cut into strips and set aside.

Add a little more oil to the pan and add the red onion, chillies, garlic and ginger. Add the chicken (and prawns if raw) If you're using other veg like peppers, carrot and leek, add them now, and soften.

Once the meat is cooked, add the fish sauce, ketchup, soy sauce and lime juice, remembering to save a lime wedge per person for serving.

Toss in the noodles, sliced egg and spring onions, and mix everything together so that the noodles are coated, some of the crushed peanuts can be added at this stage, reserving some for sprinkling on top. Turn the wok to a low heat and leave for two minutes.

Serve piled high onto a plate, sprinkle on the crushed peanuts, torn coriander and add a wedge of lime.