Happy Monday, friends! I am back in here (for real) ! 🙂 AND more than that today I have an AMAZING recipe for you. It’s a double bonus because it’s got only three (3) main ingredients and boy aren’t those recipes life savers?! My glass noodles with spicy shrimps, peanuts and broccoli is my favorite one these days. When life’s been so busy (so much of everything to ‘digest’ lately), I rely on this quick, easy and so delicious recipe to cook for dinner for myself.
You see, cooking for yourself doesn’t need to be time consuming. Even if no one will know if you ate take away (AGAIN) for dinner, you should still take care of yourself with healthy and delicious food.
Therefore, forget takeout tonight and cook this super-fast and flavorful Asian-inspired dinner that’s ready in less than 20 minutes. Plus, it’s really easy! Who else is in? 😉
I’ve made this dish a couple of times now as part of my meal-before-my-first-marathon and I’m finally getting around to posting it (sorry about that). It’s filling but doesn’t feel heavy, which I think is perfect for dinner. So, spicy glass noodles (or rice if you are VERY hungry) combined with shrimps, peanuts and broccoli is TASTY without a doubt! Trust me on this.
Moreover, you can make it as spicy as you want…it’s spicy enough as is to make your nose run a little but not be overpowering. I’m not a fan of spicy when it overpowers the flavor of a dish.
What are glass noodles, you ask?
Glass or cellophane noodles are also known as ‘bean thread’ noodles because they’re made from mung bean flour or sometimes green pea flour. As a result, they are wheat-free, gluten-free, and healthy as well as being chewy-delicious.
They taste similar to wheat noodles but are softer and slightly heavier in texture, which is why they’re usually served at the bottom of the platter or serving bowl in restuarants, with the other ingredients served on top (kind of like an Asian-style casserole). They easily absorb liquid so be sure to stir-fry them with lots of sauce.
Do glass noodles require any special cooking instructions?
Glass noodles can be boiled like regular noodles but not as long – just until they turn transparent and are soft enough to eat – 2 to 4 minutes. Then drain them and rinse through with plenty of cold water to rinse out the excess starch.
Now back to the recipe, this dish has quickly become one of my favorite meals to make on a busy weeknight.
Just try it once, and I know you’ll be hooked. 🙂
- 500 gr ( about 1 lb) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 package glass noodles
- 1 head medium broccoli, steamed
- 2 tablespoons peanuts, roughly chopped
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 chili, ribs and seeds removed, minced (substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- and extra chopped peanuts for garnishing
- Sauce Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce (low in sodium version)
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- Optional: 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- First things first, marinate the shrimps. Place them in a plastic box and start spicing them up with soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, lime juice, sea salt, cayenne pepper and chili or chili flakes. Set aside. ( you could also try to cover the box and place it in the fridge fora few hours. I haven’t tried it yet.)
- Then rinse out the broccoli and cut it into large bite-size pieces. Cut off the stem and peel off the thick skin around it. Bring ¾ to 1 inch of water to a boil in a medium saucepan and put an Asian bamboo steamer on top. Put the broccoli in the steamer, cover and let it steam for approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and add the onions, garlic and marinated shrimps. Let them simmer, stirring occasionally, for maximum 10 minutes, until the shrimps turn deeply golden and crispy.
- While the shrimps are cooking, cook the glass noodles according to package directions (as described above – bring a pot of water to a boil. Drop in the noodles and cook for 2 to 4 minutes, until the noodles are stretchy and tender. Then drain them and rinse through with plenty of cold water to rinse out the excess starch.
- Combine the noodles, shrimps, peanuts and broccoli in a bowl/plate. Garnish each dish with extra peanuts. Et Voilà – such a treat!
Did you make this recipe? Then tag #cookitfit on your favorite social media channels. I’d love to see! 🙂
Stay healthy & be happy!
Xoxo Cris
I need to find some of those glass noodles! This looks delicious 🙂