Sweet & Spicy Shrimp with Rice Noodles

It’s back to school time. Everyone is trying to get back into the routine and looking for quick meals. Here’s one that’s quick, delicious, AND healthy. If you chop the vegetables the night before, you can have this yummy meal ready in no time.

Sweet & Spicy Shrimp with Rice Noodles

1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon chile paste (Huy Fong – Sambal Oelek)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
12 ounces shrimp

2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons chopped cashews
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 inch piece of ginger, minced
1 green Thai chile (or 1 serrano chile), seeds removed, finely chopped
10 mini sweet peppers (or 1 to 1 1/2 red/yellow bell peppers), coarsely chopped
2 medium carrots, cut into matchsticks
3/4 cup snow peas
3/4 cup bean sprouts
1/4 teaspoon salt

4 ounces rice noodles, softened in hot water and drained

Mix the first 5 ingredients (vinegar, honey, chile paste, soy sauce, shrimp) together in a medium bowl. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

---- Now you can either use the next 30 minutes while the shrimp is marinating to chop vegetables. Or if you chopped them the night before, you can use this extra time to help kids with homework, throw in a load of laundry, etc (have a glass of wine, put your feet up, etc… you wish). ----

This next part goes very fast. So have all of your ingredients handy and you’ll have dinner on the table in less than 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add cashews, garlic, ginger, and chile. Stir fry for 1 minute. Remove the cashew mixture with a slotted spoon (if you don’t remove, it will burn).

Increase the temperature to high heat. Add the peppers and carrot. Cook for 2 minutes, tossing frequently. Next add the shrimp mixture and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the snow peas and cook for 1 minute. Return the cashew mixture to the wok and add bean sprouts. Toss to coat. Remove from heat.

 

Serve over rice noddles with additional soy sauce on the side.

Enjoy!!

Recipe slightly adapted from Cooking Light, August 2012