Opting for rice noodles the size of linguine (sen lek, เส้นเล็ก), rather than the wider sticks (sen yai, เส้นใหญ), I discovered the secret to a successful pad thai. Or rather, secrets plural. The first is not to overcook the noodles. Unlike wheat-based noodles, sen lek can be soaked in cold water until soft (about half an hour), rather than boiled, so that when they are added to the wok they retain their chewiness. Secondly, the pad thai sauce (for me, rice vinegar, soy sauce, salt, sugar) must be powerful - almost too strong when tasted before cooking - as the flavours will be diluted when they meet the bland noodles and bean sprouts. Finally, the wok must be very hot, so that the pad thai doesn't end up too wet - the noodles should absorb all the sauce.
Luckily, pad thai is also a very frugal meal. The adventures of yesterday and the day before had wiped out our budget, so we designated today a low-spend day. No eating out, no excursions, and certainly no opportunistic ice creams.
Instead, we pottered around reading and writing, and took some free exercise by doing yoga on the deck. While there are classes on Ko Lanta, they take place in the resorts on the west coast, which involves an expensive taxi fare even before the lesson fee. To be honest, we couldn't ask for a more fitting setting than above the waves looking out to sea.
Eking out the remaining vegetables before tomorrow's market, I made us a dry curry for dinner.
Purple Thai aubergines, which remain crunchy even after cooking, Chinese leaf, and 'crab' mushrooms, stir-fried in yellow curry paste and a splash of coconut milk, made for a tasty store-cupboard challenge. However, the real star was the magnificent tomato that I sliced as an afterthought onto the plate as a garnish. I had forgotten what tomatoes with real flavour could taste like.
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