Very Veggie Noodles

I first tasted a dish similar to this one at a delightful little cafe in Dubrovnik called Nishta. They called their dish Pastalicious. It was on their gluten free, vegan menu. As you can see, I added a few shrimp, just because it seemed like the right thing to do at the moment. Make it without the shrimp for a vegan version, or add them if you like. Either way, this dish is quite delicious!

Ingredients:

extra thin rice noodles, enough for two servings 

1 tsp olive oil

1 clove garlic,  minced 

1 tsp minced ginger

6 shrimp

1 tsp olive oil

4 oz mushrooms, brushed clean, stemmed, and sliced

1 rib celery, sliced

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

1/2 cup thinly sliced red pepper 

1/2 cup yellow beans

4 spears asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 stalk lemongrass, cut into 3 pieces

1-2 Tbs red curry paste 

5 oz coconut milk 

1/4 cup roasted cashews

1 green onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. When, cooked, drain the noodles. 

Cook the shrimp and vegetables while the water is coming to a boil and the noodles cook. To cook the shrimp, heat the teaspoon of oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the garlic, ginger, and shrimp and cook until the shrimp just turn pink, 2 or 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp and aromatics from the skillet. Add the second teaspoon of oil to the skillet along with the vegetables. Cook until the mushrooms begin to change color, about 5 minutes. Add the lemongrass stalk, along with the curry paste and the coconut milk. Cook another minute, just until it begins to thicken. Add a little more coconut milk, if the sauce is too thick.  Add the shrimp to the vegetables, then add the drained pasta, and mix everything together. 

To serve, remove the lemongrass stalk, then divide the noodles with veggies and shrimp between two plates. Top with some of the roasted cashews and green onion. 

Serves 2

Stealthy Cooking Tip: I used Mai Fun style noodles, which are very thin rice noodles, to make this dish. They're gluten free! Because they are so thin, they give this dish a silky texture. Adding the crunchy cashews on top, mixes things up a bit, and the juxtaposition in textures makes this dish exciting to the palate.