Crispy Sticky Tamarind Noodles (Mee Krob)

A Thai classic of puffed, deep-fried rice vermicelli tossed in a sweet-sour tamarind sauce with chicken, shrimp and baked tofu.

Ingredients

2-3 qt		canola or other high-temperature cooking oil, to fry noodles plus 3 tbsp for cooking chicken, divided
4 oz	115 g	dry rice vermicelli noodles
1/4		white onion, thinly sliced
1		chicken breast, cut into thin slices
6-8		medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup	60 ml	savory baked tofu, cut into 1-inch tiles
1/4 cup	60 ml	tamarind concentrate
2 tbsp	30 ml	tomato paste or ketchup
1/4 cup	60 ml	white sugar
1 tbsp	15 ml	fish sauce
1 tbsp	15 ml	cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water to make a slurry

Place a wire rack in a sheet pan and set aside. In a large skillet with high sides, heat 2 to 3 quarts of oil to 350-375F (175-190C).
When hot, add the dry rice vermicelli in 1-ounce batches. The vermicelli will fry, almost triple in size and puff up immediately. Turn them over and cook the other side about 30 seconds until pale yellow and crispy. Drain on the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining batches. Hold the cooked noodles on a sheet pan until ready to serve.
In a wok or separate large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of oil over high heat for 1 to 2 minutes until it just starts to smoke. Stir in the onion and chicken and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until the chicken is seared on the outside but not cooked through and the onions are translucent and light brown.
Add the shrimp and tofu and stir-fry for about 1 minute, until the shrimp have cooked a little but not all the way through.
Push the contents up against one side to create a hotspot mid-pan. Pour in the tamarind concentrate, tomato paste, sugar and fish sauce. Stir as the sauce comes to a boil and cook about 30 seconds, until the sugar dissolves. Add the cornstarch slurry and constantly stir as it boils and thickens.
Reduce the heat to low and fold in the noodles, about half at a time, gently folding them together with the sauce. It will feel like too many noodles for the sauce, but it will eventually come together into a sweet, sticky pile. Serve and eat immediately.