Easy Chicken Pad Thai

Ingredients:
For the sauce
1 1/2 TBSP tamarind paste
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/2 tsp chili sauce
1/3 cup packed brown sugar (or 1/4 cup maple syrup)
black pepper

Whisk together tamarind with 1/2 cup warm water - mix in remaining ingredients.

For the noodles
8 oz Thai rice noodles
2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into thin 1-inch slices
1 tsp cornstarch
3 TBSP soy sauce
oil of choice - for stir frying
4 cloves garlic - minced
red pepper flakes to taste
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1 cup shredded cabbage (green or red)
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1/4 cup sliced scallions
roughly chopped peanuts (or cashews)
lime wedges

Soak/cook noodles according to package directions - do not overcook as they will be stir-fried later.

In a medium bowl whisk together cornstarch and soy sauce. Add chicken pieces to bowl and toss to coat evenly.

In a large pan or wok, heat 2 TBSP oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds. Add chicken to pan (including liquids) and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is no longer pink. Add 1-2 TBSP chicken stock at a time to the pan while you are cooking the chicken to prevent it from drying out (you may not use all 1/4 cup).

Add noodles and prepared sauce to pan. Bring the sauce to a boil while gently folding in noodles. Continue cooking 1-2 minutes and then add bean sprouts - cooking 1 minute more.

Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with carrots, cabbage, cilantro, scallions and nuts. Serve with lime wedge.