The most I really know about Chinese food is the phone number for delivery. It’s not that I’m lazy about it. Sometimes we pick it up or go to the restaurant itself. It’s just one of those go-to solutions for a simple, affordable dinner. Plus, I really look forward to unwrapping my fortune.
On a recent food shopping trip, however, I picked up a package of thick, Chinese soba noodles. It was completely on a whim–I was there to get essentials–but it’s something Hubby orders regularly, and I thought I could have some fun with them. I remembered a bag of shrimp we had stored in the freezer, and knew I would be able to figure something out.
Last night I came across the noodles and decided to wing it. In addition to adding the usual salt to my boiling water, I also seasoned it with a little garlic powder. I’m not quite sure if this is even a legal cooking move, but I went for it and am pretty convinced it made a difference in enhancing the taste of the noodles.
To prepare for my meal, I took out a few essentials from the cabinet: sesame oil, ground ginger, soy sauce…Oh no. I only had a mere tablespoon of soy sauce left and Hubby was already on his way home. I had to use what was on hand. Magically, a small glass bowl with a little of this and a little of that was just enough to coat my shrimp. The sauce even stretched to pan fry the noodles with some edamame, broccoli and carrots. A little gyoza for richness and color along with a sprinkle of sesame seeds really tied it all together at the very end.
I have to say, it worked out quite nicely. There was less sodium, no trace of MSG, and we even discovered that Mo loves edamame. (What dog doesn’t?) This dish turned into a light and healthy, savory dinner that was filling enough for two. I wasn’t even that hungry 45 minutes later! I certainly won’t be trading in my chopsticks and little white takeout boxes anytime soon, but this was surely a nice change for a weeknight experiment!
Ingredients:
1 (9 oz.) package uncooked soba noodles
About 9 oz. frozen shrimp
2 tablespoons gyoza sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon water
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup frozen broccoli, defrosted
1/2 cup frozen carrots, defrosted
1 cup edamame, shelled
Sprinkle of sesame seeds
PInch of crushed red pepper to taste
Garlic powder for water, to taste
Salt for water, to taste
Vegetable oil cooking spray
Instructions:
Place frozen shrimp in a colander and run under cold water for about 7 minutes, turning half way through.
In the meantime, boil water and season with salt and garlic powder. Cook soba noodles according to directions and drain when ready.
Whisk together soy sauce, water, white wine vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil, ginger, garlic and crushed red pepper.
Pat shrimp dry and coat in sauce.
Pour coated shrimp into pan preheated with olive oil cooking spray (about 1 tablespoon).
Add noodles, edamame, broccoli and carrots to the pan, tossing frequently.
Mix in gyoza sauce and cook for an additional minute so noodles become slightly crispy. (Lots of heat. Can you see the steam in the photo?!)
Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Eat and enjoy a healthier version of takeout!
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