Ultimate Pad Thai

1 pound dried thin rice noodles

4 cups very hot water

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

¾ cup firm tofu, cubed

¼ cup fresh basil leaves

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

¾ cup chicken, cut into cubes

½ cup small black tiger shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 ½ teaspoons paprika

2 eggs, beaten

7 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup white vinegar

½ cup fish sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons ketchup

2 teaspoons tamarind paste

1 teaspoon hot chili sauce (such as Sriracha®)

2 lemon grass stalks, minced

½ cup water, if needed

3 tablespoons chopped roasted peanuts

1 cup bean sprouts

1 lime, cut in wedges

4 green onions, thinly sliced

Soak rice noodles in a bowl with 4 cups hot water, or as needed to cover, until noodles are slightly softened, about 15 minutes; drain.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok over medium heat.

Cook and stir tofu and basil leaves in hot oil until basil is crisp and tofu is golden, about 10 minutes. Remove tofu-basil mixture and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in the same skillet; cook and stir chicken, shrimp and paprika until chicken is no longer pink in the center and shrimp are bright pink on the outside and no longer transparent in the center, 5 to 8 minutes.

Pour eggs into chicken and shrimp; stir until eggs are lightly cooked, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Heat 7 tablespoons vegetable oil in a clean wok over medium heat. Cook and stir garlic in hot oil until fragrant, a few seconds.

Stir white vinegar, fish sauce, brown sugar, ketchup, tamarind paste, and hot chili sauce into garlic until the brown sugar has dissolved; simmer for 1 minute.

Stir lemon grass and drained rice noodles into wok until sauce is almost absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour 1/2 cup water into the skillet if noodles are still too firm.

Stir tofu with basil, peanuts, chicken and shrimp mixture, and bean sprouts into noodles; cook and stir until fully heated and combined with sauce, 1 to 2 minutes.

Garnish with lime wedges and green onions.