Boiling water (enough to cover cabbage and tamarind)

Prepare the Cabbage Place the 8 oz (227 g) of cabbage strips in a large pot.

Cover completely with boiling water and place a lid on the pot. Allow the cabbage to soak until it is softened, pliable, and crisp-tender, approximately 1 minute.

Drain well and set aside.

Make the Sauce In a small bowl, soak the 2 tbsp of tamarind paste in boiling water until softened, approximately 10 minutes. Push the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl to remove seeds and fibers, extracting as much pulp as possible. To the tamarind pulp, add the 3 tbsp fish sauce, 3 tbsp palm sugar, 1 tbsp of the coconut oil, 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, and 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper.

Whisk until well combined.

Cook the Shrimp Mix Heat 0.5 tbsp of coconut oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until shimmering.

Add the 6 oz (170 g) of asparagus, the prepared shrimp, the sauce mixture, and the scallions.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through.

Remove the contents from the skillet and set aside.

Stir-fry Asparagus Add 0.5 tbsp of coconut oil to the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the asparagus (if separated) or any remaining vegetable pieces and stir-fry until crisp and tender.

Remove from the skillet and set aside with the shrimp mixture.

Scramble and Combine Add the remaining 0.5 tbsp of coconut oil to the skillet and return to medium heat until shimmering.

Add the minced shallot and garlic; cook until lightly browned, approximately 1.5 minutes.

Stir in the 2 beaten eggs and cook, stirring constantly, until scrambled but still moist, about 20 seconds.

Stir in the prepared cabbage and any remaining sauce mixture. Increase heat to high and cook, tossing gently, until the cabbage is evenly coated, approximately 1 minute.

Final Assembly Stir in the cooked shrimp, asparagus, and scallion mixture.

Cook until the shrimp are heated through and the cabbage is tender, approximately 2 minutes.

Season with sea salt to taste. To Serve Divide onto plates and sprinkle with the 4 tbsp of cilantro and 2 tbsp of chopped almonds.

Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side. Here is the estimated nutritional information per serving for the Shrimp and Asparagus Pad Thai recipe.

Don't Overcook the Shrimp: Shrimp can go from tender to rubbery in a heartbeat. As soon as they turn opaque and pink in Step 3, get them out of the pan immediately. They will continue to cook slightly from residual heat while they sit.

Customize Your Tang: Tamarind paste can vary in acidity depending on the brand.

Before you add the sauce to the pan, give it a tiny taste test. If it’s too sour, add a pinch more sugar; if it’s too sweet, a splash more fish sauce or lime juice will balance it out.