Gather the ingredients. The Spruce

Bring a pot of water to boil over high heat. Dunk in rice noodles and stir with a fork to separate. The Spruce

Cook 4 to 6 minutes, just until noodles are limp but still too firm to eat (a little firmer than al dente). Then drain and rinse with cold water.

Combine Pad Thai sauce ingredients in a cup, stirring well to dissolve sugar and tamarind. Note that this sauce should have a very strong-tasting flavor: sour-sweet first, followed by salty and spicy. Add more sugar if too sour. Set aside. The Spruce

Warm a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil plus garlic and onion. Stir-fry 1 minute to release the fragrance. The Spruce

Add bok choy, plus enough stock or white wine to keep ingredients frying nicely. Stir-fry 2 minutes, or until bok choy is bright green and slightly softened.

Push ingredients aside and add 1/2 tablespoon more oil to the center of the wok/pan. Add the egg (if using) and stir-fry briefly to scramble.

If the pan is dry, push ingredients aside and add a little more oil to the middle. Add the drained noodles and 1/3 of the sauce. Stir-fry everything together 1 to 2 minutes using 2 utensils and a gently tossing motion (like tossing a salad). The Spruce

Keep heat between medium-high and high, reducing if noodles begin to stick or burn.

Keep adding sauce and continue stir-frying 3 to 6 more minutes, or until all sauce is added and noodles are soft but still chewy and deliciously sticky. The Spruce

Switch off heat and add bean sprouts, green onion, and 3/4 of the nuts. Toss and taste-test, adding more soy sauce for more salt/flavor. If too salty or sweet for your taste, add a good squeeze of lime juice. If too sour, add a little more sugar. The Spruce