Feel free to omit the fish sauce and replace it with light soy sauce for a vegetarian pad Thai.
Soak the rice noodles in a bowl of hot water for 25 minutes.
While the noodles are soaking, prepare the vegetables. Peel and thinly slice the shallots and onion. Slice the spring onions at a slight angle into 2.5cm/1in lengths. Seed and finely chop the chillies.
When the noodles have soaked for 25 minutes, drain well in a colander or sieve. Discard the water.
Heat a wok over high heat. When it is hot, add the oil. When it is very hot and slightly smoking, add the shallots, onion, spring onions, chillies and garlic, and stir-fry for one minute.
Add the rice noodles, fish sauce or soy sauce, rice wine or sherry, lime juice, soy sauce, pepper, sugar and vegetarian oyster sauce, and continue to stir-fry for two minutes, mixing well.
Add the bean sprouts and continue to stir-fry for four minutes.
Finally, add the coriander and stir-fry briskly for 30 seconds.
Turn onto a warm platter, sprinkle with the peanuts and serve at once.
