This is a well-known and very simple Thai noodle dish which will be familiar to many of you. If you can't get palm sugar use any brown sugar. The recipe is speed itself, once you have prepared the ingredients, so make sure that everything is lined up and ready to go in the pan.

Serves 2-3 (generously!)

Ingredients

• 130g dried rice vermicelli noodles

• 3 tbsp oil, preferably groundnut, but any vegetable oil is fine

• 3 large cloves, garlic, crushed

• 2 tbsp fish sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce

• 1 tsp palm sugar

• 1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter, generously heaped (see below)

• 1 tsp prawn paste (kapis)

• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup

• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce (Lingham's is the best)

• 3-4 eggs, beaten

• 4-5 spring onions, cut into 1cm pieces, including the green stems

• 150g bean sprouts

• 2-3 small fresh red chillies (optional)

• 1 large cooked chicken breast, roughly shredded using 2 forks

• 200g small, shelled prawns

Recipe

1. Place the noodles in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave until they can be separated with a fork (about 2-3 minutes but taste-test them). Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile beat the eggs and set aside.

3. Combine the garlic, sugar, sauces, prawn paste and peanut butter to make a runny paste.

4. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan, add the paste and heat until bubbling.

5. Add the chicken, prawns and spring onions and cook for a couple of minutes to warm through. Add the chillies if using.

6. Then add the noodles and stir in, followed almost immediately by the bean sprouts. Allow to cook briefly.

7. Finally, add the egg and stir continuously until cooked through (1-2 minutes).

8. Serve straight away, with lime wedges and soy sauce on the side.

Cook’s notes

• Try and get the best quality peanut butter with no other ingredients as it will really make a difference. 

• Partly cook the eggs in a separate pan before adding to the wok – the heat of the dish cooks the eggs and gives a better texture.