VIETNAMESE SHRIMP STIR FRY WITH VERMICELLI RICE NOODLES

Asian|Gluten-free|Pasta|Seafood

Ingredients

Shrimp:

1 tablespoon hoisin

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1-pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (16-20 count)

¼ cup vegetable oil

½ cup corn starch

Sauce:

¼ cup fish sauce

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon peanut oil

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Stir Fry:

5-ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced

2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, diced

6 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

8-ounces vermicelli rice noodles (also called Vietnamese rice sticks)

1 cup carrots, peeled and cut into 3-4” matchsticks

1 cup English cucumber, cut into 3-4” matchsticks

1 cup scallions, chopped

½ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

½ cup basil leaves, chiffonade (thin strips)

½ cup cilantro, rough chopped (plus more for garnish)

½ cup honey roasted peanuts, chopped

Instructions

Combine hoisin and rice wine vinegar in a medium bowl and marinade the shrimp for 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients for the stir fry and the sauce.

Note – it is best if you have everything chopped in advance and the sauce put together before you begin cooking. This way the dish comes together very quickly and all of the veg is cooked to perfection!

Combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside. Prepare the vegetables for the stir fry and put a large pot of water on the stove to boil.

Heat the ¼ cup of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Dredge the marinated shrimp in the cornstarch and shake off any excess. Place the shrimp in a single layer in the very hot oil and cook about 1 minute per side until crisp and pink. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add the mushrooms, ginger, and garlic to the pan drippings and cook, stirring frequently, in the pan drippings until the mushrooms are wilted and the ginger and garlic are fragrant. Be careful to stir frequently so you do not burn the garlic.

Drop the rice noodles in the boiling water. They will cook until just tender, about 2-3 minutes, then drain in a colander.

While the rice noodles cook, continue the stir fry by adding carrots and cook for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium.

Add the noodles to the pan along with the cucumber, scallions, mint, basil, and cilantro. Toss to combine and add sauce. Add the shrimp back into the pan and continue to toss the noodles until everything is completely combined and incorporated. Serve hot in bowls topped with peanuts and garnished with more cilantro. DEVOUR!