Vegetarian Pad Thai

12 oz dried flat rice noodles (banh pho)

1 tsp tamarind concentrate (found at Wholefoods)

½ c soy sauce

¼ c packed light brown sugar

2 Tbl Sriracha

1 bunch scallions, dark green part removed and chopped

4 large shallots, thinly sliced

1 c peanut or canola oil

6 large eggs

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 c bean sprouts

½ c roasted peanuts, finely chopped

Soak noodles in a large bowl of warm water until soft, 25-30 minutes. Drain well in a colander and cover with a dampened paper towel.

 Meanwhile, make sauce by combining tamarind, soy sauce, brown sugar and Sriracha. Stir until combined.

 Heat oil in wok over medium heat until hot, then fry half of the chopped shallots over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, 8-12 minutes. Carefully strain mixture through a sieve into a heatproof bowl. Reserve shallot oil and spread fried shallots on paper towels. Wipe wok clean.

Lightly beat eggs with ¼ tsp salt. Heat 2 Tbl shallot oil in wok over high heat until shimmering. Add eggs and swirl to coat side of wok, then cook, stirring gently with a spatula, until cooked through. Break into chunks with spatula and transfer to plate.

Heat wok until a drop of water evaporates instantly. Pour in 6 Tbl shallot oil, then swirl to coat side of wok. Stir-fry scallions, garlic, and remaining uncooked shallots until softened, about 1 minute.

Add noodles and stir-fry over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add bean sprouts and 1 ½ c sauce and simmer, turning noodles over to absorb sauce evenly, until noodles are tender, about 2 minutes.

Stir-in additional sauce if desired, then stir in eggs and transfer to large shallow serving dish.

Sprinkle pad Thai with peanuts and fried shallots and serve with lime wedges, cilantro springs and Sriracha.