Long Life Fertility Noodles with Happy Shrimp
For birthdays, new year and weddings, noodles are served to represent long life. Dont be tempted to cut the noodles, or youll be cutting your life short. You may not be Chinese, but really, theres no harm in covering all your bases. I mean, who knows what deity drew the short straw and was appointed to be in charge something so boring like lifespan? So, I created one easy dish that covered all your important bases sort of cramming in as much good fortune as possible on one plate. The sesame seeds and pea pods in the noodles symbolize fertility (remember, if you dont want children, substitute with any greens, bean sprouts or sliced bamboo shoots.) Shrimp, in Chinese, is pronounced haa which sounds like laughter, and may your marriage be full of happiness.
For birthdays, new year and weddings, noodles are served to represent long life. Dont be tempted to cut the noodles, or youll be cutting your life short. You may not be Chinese, but really, theres no harm in covering all your bases. I mean, who knows what deity drew the short straw and was appointed to be in charge something so boring like lifespan? So, I created one easy dish that covered all your important bases sort of cramming in as much good fortune as possible on one plate. The sesame seeds and pea pods in the noodles symbolize fertility (remember, if you dont want children, substitute with any greens, bean sprouts or sliced bamboo shoots.) Shrimp, in Chinese, is pronounced haa which sounds like laughter, and may your marriage be full of happiness.
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 6 ounces thin spaghetti noodles
- 7 ounces shrimp deveined
- 1 tsp kosher or sea salt divided
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup snow peas sliced thin on diagonal
- 1/2 cup carrots matchstick cut
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp cooking oils
- Carbohydrate 35.40325 g
- Cholesterol 74.48 mg
- Fat 6.83670833333333 g
- Fiber 2.37283334096273 g
- Protein 16.5071666666667 g
- Saturated Fat 0.777465833333333 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (130g)
- Sodium 734.253333333334 mg
- Sugar 33.0304166590373 g
- Trans Fat 0.697136666666667 g
- Calories 274 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring a stockpot of water to boil. Add 1 tsp of salt to water and cook thin spaghetti, according to package directions. Drain well.
- While pasta is cooking, place shrimp in a small bowl and add the remaining ½ tsp of salt and the cornstarch. Mix well and let sit for 8 minutes. Rinse the shrimp well, washing off the salt and cornstarch. Pat very dry with paper towels.
- In a wok or large skillet, heat cooking oil on high until hot but not smoking. Add shrimp and fry until just starting to change color, about 1 minute. Remove, keeping as much oil in wok as possible.
- Turn heat to medium and add garlic. Fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds then add the snow peas and carrots. Fry briefly, add the soy and rice wine.
- Turn heat to high and add the drained spaghetti noodles and shrimp. Toss well to combine. Let cook for 2 minutes, until shrimp is cooked through.
- Toss with sesame oil and sesame seeds.
Sleek strands of thin spaghetti intermingle with bright green snow peas, crisp matchstick carrots, and snappy pink shrimp coated in toasted sesame. The primary challenge in preparing this dish is controlling moisture during the high-heat stir-fry phase. Excess water on the shrimp will cause the oil in the wok to spatter and steam the ingredients rather than sear them. Tossing the shrimp with cornstarch and salt for eight minutes before rinsing and drying thoroughly removes surface proteins that cause excess liquid release. Heat the cooking oil until it shimmers on high heat before adding the seafood, ensuring the shrimp turns opaque within one minute without overcooking. Garlic burns quickly at high temperatures; introduce it only after dropping the burner to medium heat and cook it for precisely ten seconds until aromatic. Snow peas and carrots require only a brief flash in the pan to retain their structural crunch before the drained pasta enters the wok. To adapt this formulation for different dietary needs, substitute the snow peas with standard green beans or bean sprouts using identical volume ratios without altering the cooking time.
