Stir-Fried Noodles with Shrimp and Vegetables and Green Onion Egg Drop Soup

I can't say that I'm experienced in Asian cooking, and wasn't entirely sure how my efforts would turn out, but this meal has quickly moved towards the top of my favorites list. The meal was very easy and fast to make, lighter than expected while still being filling, and absolutely delicious. You could easily make it with tofu, or with no "meat" at all, as well as with the shrimp that I used in this one version. It has plenty of flavor to go around!

To round out the meal I tried my hand at making egg drop soup with a twist - green onions. I have to admit, this was more fun than I originally expected. If you haven't made this before it's very simple to follow and definitely different than any other soup that I have made before. Get excited and give it a try!

Stir-Fried Noodles with Shrimp and Vegetables
Sadly, I do not have a wok. I know... What kind of cook doesn't have a wok? (Feel free to fix this travesty by giving me one.) If you have one, you'll want to use it for this recipe, but if you do not, don't stress! You can use a large fry pan as a substitute. I used my biggest one that is more like the base of a cylinder with vertical sides rather than a smaller one with curved sides. This gave me plenty of space for stir-frying.

First, let's get the noodles out of the way. I used pad-thai style noodles for these which are basically flat rice noodles. These stir fry extremely well, but you can substitute Chinese egg noodles if you prefer. Prepare the noodles according to their instructions. If, like me, you choose the pad-thai style noodles then you'll most likely be soaking them in warm water for about ten minutes. Once they are soaking (or boiling if those are the instructions) you can start with the stir fry. They will be ready by the time you need them!

Put a tablespoon of peanut oil in the pan and heat over medium to medium high heat. Add two cloves of minced garlic and two shallots once the oil is heated. Stir often to keep the garlic and shallots from burning. Let them cook for 3 minutes and then add shrimp. For best results, buy peeled and de-veined shrimp! That way you do not have to do that yourself. You can leave the tails on or pull them off. Personally, I prefer to pull them off before cooking but it is absolutely acceptable to cook the shrimp either way.

Continue to stir the shrimp often; you want to ensure they are getting flipped over as well so they can cook evenly. Right after adding the shrimp, toss in 2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms. Make sure they are down to a bite-sized slice! Stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup diced green onions. Continue to stir and cook for another 3-4 minutes.

At this point the shrimp and the mushrooms should be just about done! Shrimp turn pink when done and mushrooms should be soft and wilting. Toss in 2 cups of bean sprouts, 2 cups diced tomato, and 4 tablespoons of chopped basil. Add the noodles. (Note: these should already be cooked.) Pour in roughly 1/4 cup of soy sauce. Make sure to use a low-sodium variety. I prefer dark soy sauce, but you can use either version.

The stir fry should look basically done at this point. The noodles should be lightly coated with a dark sauce. You want to make sure the sauce is enough to cover the vegetables and noodles, but not so much that it is pooling. Toss in a little bit of teriyaki sauce as well for some variety. (Also purchase low-sodium teriyaki sauce.) Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes. Add more sauce if needed - either soy or teriyaki to taste.

Remove from the stove and enjoy!

Green Onion Egg Drop Soup
This is truly fun to make. Really. And I can't take credit for the recipe. And believe it or not, it's incredibly simple to make as well.

Read through the entire recipe first and be ready to go because it moves quickly. You'll basically throw most of the ingredients in, simmer a bit, and then get to the egg. And this is where it's entertaining. You know how you get those bits of egg in egg drop soup? You drop a beaten egg into simmering broth! And it forms immediately! Instantaneously! It's amazing.

What can I say - it's the simple things in life that amuse me!

So jump on in, stare in amazement at your soup, and chow down on some amazing stir-fry.