Shrimp Stir-Fry

And I officially declare February to be Asian month! Get ready for some stir fry because it is coming your way below - and probably more varieties to come as the weeks pass by. Stir fry just has so many options available and is endlessly easy to make - a perfect meal to whip together on a week night that includes veggies, protein, and usually some delicious noodles or rice.

This post starts us off with a fairly straightforward stir fry that uses shrimp as the protein but is also full of veggies. The sauce and veggies are ones you'd see fairly often in such dishes, starting you off with a more traditional meal. Feel free to experiment though with all of the recipes coming your way. Play with proteins - substituting tofu or scallops for shrimp - and feel free, as always, to add or subtract your favorite/least favorite veggies. Let us know in the comments if you find something really great so we can try it too.

Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

Shrimp Stir-Fry
Ingredients:
2 tsp sesame oil
4 tbsp low-salt soy sauce
2 tbsp low-salt teriyaki sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
1 tbsp sugar
1 can straw mushrooms
1 can baby corn
3/4 cup snap peas
3/4 cup broccoli
1/2 cup green onions
1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 package cellophane noodles
2 tsp sesame seeds

Now that might look like a lot of ingredients, but I really promise you it is not! Now to get started follow the directions on your cellophane noodles to prepare them. This may simply involve soaking them in very hot water but make sure to follow the directions to get your noodles ready.

Heat 1 tsp sesame oil in a wok over medium high heat. In a separate bowl combine 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp teriyaki sauce, 2 tbsp rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, and sugar. Mix well with a whisk until it is decently blended.

Set the sauce blend aside. Put green onion, snap peas, and broccoli in to the pan when the oil is hot. Stir regularly to keep from burning and stir-fry them for 3-4 minutes or until they start to get soft and change in color. Add the straw mushrooms and baby corn. Pour on your remaining 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp teriyaki sauce, and 1 tbsp rice vinegar. Mix well so the sauce coats the stir-fry ingredients and cook another 2 minutes.

Toss in your shrimp. Stir fry for about 4-5 minutes or until the shrimp are pink and curled up tight meaning they are cooked all of the way through. Dump in your prepared (hopefully soft) noodles and pour the sauce blend you had set aside over everything. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds. Toss well and make sure everything is well-coated. Heat for another 1-2 minutes and then eat immediately.