Tangy Vegetable Pad Thai

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ gas 6

Boil a full kettle

Add your butternut squash cubes to a baking tray with a small pinch of salt and pepper and a drizzle of vegetable oil and give everything a good mix up

Put the tray into the oven for 20-25 min or until cooked with a slight bite

Meanwhile, deseed your pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and cut into thin strips

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a generous drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add the pepper strips with a pinch of salt and cook for 3-4 min or until softened

Meanwhile, add your rice noodles to a pot and cover with boiled water

Boil over a high heat for 4-5 min or until softened with a slight bite

Once softened, drain the noodles, run them under cold water, then return to the pot with a drizzle of vegetable oil and set aside

Tip: The oil prevents the noodles from sticking together!

Meanwhile, peel lengths off your courgette[s] until you end up with a pile of courgette ribbons

Peel and finely slice (don't chop!) your garlic

Add your tamarind paste to a bowl with your soy sauce, mirin, sriracha (can't handle the heat? Go easy!), the juice of half your lime and 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar and give it all a good mix up – this is your pad Thai sauce

Once the pepper has softened, add the courgette ribbons and sliced garlic to the pan and cook for 1-2 min until fragrant, then remove from the heat

Meanwhile, crush your roasted peanuts with a rolling pin

Tip: If you don't have a rolling pin, just chop them roughly!

Chop your Thai basil and coriander roughly, including the stalks

Cut the remaining lime into 1 wedge per person

Return the pan to a medium-high heat and add the drained noodles along with the roasted butternut squash and pad Thai sauce and give everything a good mix up

Stir through half of the chopped Thai basil and coriander (save the rest for garnish!) – this is your tangy vegetable pad Thai