Last Night's Nums: Stir-Fried Curry Rice Noodles w/ Shrimp

As if I had any doubts about a recipe that involved the words "stir-fry," "curry," and "shrimp!"  And it did not disappoint.  Of course, in true form, I altered the recipe ever so slightly... only slightly, as recipes from America's Test Kitchen are usually perfect just the way they're published.

This dish is pretty easy and not very expensive, especially considering it's a whole meal on its own! I think I already had everything I needed except for the red bell pepper, the rice noodles, and the shrimp.  The shrimp were by far the most expensive ingredient, but I figure this recipe could easily be duplicated with another shellfish, tofu, or even just thinly-sliced potato chunks.  I wouldn't try it with chicken, as it's a pretty delicate curry and works really well with the shrimpy flavor.  Definitely worth the cost, and hey, you only need 12 ounces.

Additionally, this recipe is quick.  I usually shy away from curry recipes when I don't have a sous-chef, but I didn't want to wait until my husband's semester is over to make something like this!  The 20 minutes hot water soak is definitely the most time-consuming part, and the prep work took me less than 10 minutes... plenty of time to pour myself a glass of wine and check my email.  After that it's 2 minutes here, 2 minutes there, a few minutes to finish, and BAM!  Dinner's ready.


Stir-Fried Curry Rice Noodles with Shrimp

8 oz rice stick noodles (about 1/4-inch thick)
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp vegetable oil (You might need more if you're like me and don't use a non-stick skillet.)
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
12 ounces extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon red curry paste (Note: The original recipe called for 1 tbsp of curry powder, but I'm an idiot and didn't remember that we were out.  I loved the curry paste, however, and can see the powder method getting a bit "grainy" and dry.)
6 scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths, reserving greens for later
1/2 cups basil (This was my other addition.  Can't have curry noodles without basil!)

Directions

1. Cover noodles with boiling water in bowl. Soak until softened but not completely tender, about 15 - 20 minutes. Drain noodles.
2. Whisk water, 2 tbsp oil, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar until sugar dissolves.
3. Heat remaining oil in large nonstick skillet (I used a large saucier, worked much better because of the depth) over medium heat until shimmering. Cook onion and bell pepper until softened, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in shrimp, garlic and curry paste. Cook until fragrant and shrimp are nearly cooked through, about 2 minutes.
5. Add scallions, softened noodles and fish sauce mixture. Cook, tossing constantly, until noodles are completely tender and shrimp cooked through, about 2 minutes.
6. Remove from heat.  Add basil and reserved greens (chopped), toss to combine.
7. Pour yourself a glass of white wine and ENJOY!