There are three components here – all straightforward to prepare and bring together: A simple veggie stir-fry, a fragrant coconut broth, and cooked rice noodles. A bag of fresh spinach from Morning Glory inspired the vegetable mix (sugar snaps, shiitakes, scallions and spinach) for this recipe, which is based on one I developed for my book Simple Green Suppers. In that recipe, I used bok choy, so feel free to play around with the veggies here, following the seasons. This can be a versatile vegetarian supper, or you can also add shrimp to it for more protein (see notes below). The recipe is also alpha-gal friendly; be sure to double-check the ingredients of your chili paste or chili crisp for mammalian products.

For this recipe, I use flat brown rice noodles (the type used for Pad Thai, about the width of linguine) for the base. I bring the water to a boil, add the rice noodles when I begin the stir-fry, turn off the heat and let the rice noodles soften, taking care to remove and drain them before they get too soft. If I time it right, the noodles are still warm when I’m getting ready to serve. But they don't have to be - the broth will warm them. You could use other noodles, such as lo mein or udon, in this dish. Cook and drain them as close to serving as possible.

Serves 3 to 4

  • 1 cup canned, full-fat coconut milk (preferably organic), well whisked
  • 2 tablespoons low-sodium tamari
  • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus 4 lime wedges for serving
  • 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar (organic if cooking for alpha-gal folks)
  • 2 teaspoons Asian chili-garlic paste or 1 ½ teaspoons chili crisp*
  • 7 ounces rice noodles (Pad Thai size or about the width of linguine)
  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil, avocado oil or other vegetable oil
  • 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thickly sliced
  • Kosher salt
  • 4 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and cut in half
  • 1 bunch scallions (white and light green parts only), sliced thickly on the bias (slice green tops and reserve for garnish)
  • 5 ounces fresh spinach, stemmed and torn or cut into smaller pieces (about 4 ounces if using baby spinach)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (or a combination of cilantro and mint, basil, or Thai basil), plus a few sprigs for garnish
  • ¼ cup finely chopped roasted peanuts

 

1. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, whisk together the coconut milk, 1 cup water, the lime juice, the tamari, the brown sugar, and the chili paste. Set aside.

2. In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water just to a boil. Take the pan off the heat, add the rice noodles, and let sit until well-softened but not too soft, about 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the brand. Stir several times to prevent sticking to the bottom. Drain. Rinse briefly with very warm water and let sit.

3. In a large (12-inch) nonstick stir-fry pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. As soon as the oil is hot, add the shiitakes and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until all the shiitake slices have some browning on them (they will be softened and somewhat shrunken), about 4 to 6 minutes. Add the 2 teaspoons of oil, the sugar snap peas, the scallions, and another ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the peas and scallions have some charring on them, another 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and stir. Add all of the spinach and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the coconut milk mixture. Stir well. Return to medium-low heat just to heat the liquids through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the chopped herbs and remove from the heat.

5. Portion the rice noodles in warm shallow bowls. Ladle the veggies and broth over and around the noodles. Garnish with sliced scallion tops, a generous sprinkling of chopped peanuts, and herb sprigs if desired. Serve with a fork and spoon.

*If preparing this dish for someone with alpha-gal, double check the ingredients of your chili paste or crisp for mammalian products - or use a simple hot sauce.

 

Susie Middleton

To add shrimp:

  • Use about 8 to 10 ounces large peeled and deveined shrimp
  • You can simply add cooked shrimp (that have been thawed from frozen or purchased cooked at the fish store) when you add the broth and warm them through. (With pre-cooked shrimp, take care not to overheat them or they will be tough.) OR you can saute raw shrimp before you saute the veggies, remove them from the pan, and set aside. (Undercook them slightly.) Add them back in at the very end of cooking. (These will likely be more tender then frozen)