Whenever I eat at or order take out from my favorite Thai restaurant, I feel hesitant to order anything other than my favorite dish: Pad Thai.
Though there are plenty of tasty items on the menu, some that my friends swear by, I trust the Pad Thai at my reliable neighborhood noodle shop.
I could try something new at any point, but if I’m indulging in an order of greasy-but-delicious noodles, I don’t want to risk winding up with a dish that’s only so-so.
So, call it backwards logic, but to avoid a case of takeout regret, I like to experiment with noodle dishes on my own at home. This way, if they don’t turn out, you can doctor them up to make them tastier and if that still doesn’t work, you can throw them out and eat something else.
Not only are noodles inexpensive but they’re filling and they easily stretch into more than one meal.
This recipe is a little bit more labor-intensive than picking up the phone and ordering delivery, but it’s a lot healthier than the oil-bathed noodles that come from noodle shops.
You only need two teaspoons of oil for this recipe and you could add extra veggies if you wanted them – broccoli, zucchini or bean sprouts would all be good here – but I opted to keep this one simple.
- 1 8-ounce package rice noodles
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil (divided)
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
- 2 scallions, finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh mushrooms, finely chopped (use shiitake or button mushrooms)
- 1 cup celery, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons curry powder
- 3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin (rice cooking wine)
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 tablespoons water
- Cilantro, as a garnish
- Cook noodles according to the directions on the package and set aside. In a wok or stir-fry pan, heat one teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook until slightly opaque. Stir in the scallions, then remove the mixture from the pan and set aside on a plate.
- Heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in the same pan that you used to cook the shrimp, then add mushrooms and celery. Cook them until they are just barely tender when poked with a fork. Add the curry powder and toss until the vegetables are completely coated.
- Add teriyaki sauce and mirin and mix until all ingredients are well-blended. wine; Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, mix cornstarch with two tablespoons of water then add to stir fry mixture. Add cooked shrimp and noodles and mix until noodles, shrimp and sauce are well blended. Serve garnished with cilantro, if desired. Serves 4-6.
- Note: I would add some hot sauce or red pepper flakes to punch up the flavor a bit, especially if you like your food with a little bit of heat.
36 Comments
lisa @ smart food and fit
July 24, 2011 at 8:58 amI like your clean eating version, you have control over the ingredients in your meal. I hate ordering take out and feeling bloated the next day from all the sodium! Curry and teryaki sound so perfect together!
Reeni
July 23, 2011 at 8:55 pmI always order pad thai too! This is a delicious option for making noodles at home – and an excellent way for me to use up those rice noodles kicking around in my cupboard!
Lisa from Lisas Yarns
July 23, 2011 at 3:24 pmI was just looking in my cupboard and noticed i had rice noodles and thought – I need to figure out something to make with these! Def need to try this recipe as I love all the ingredients!
Wendy
July 23, 2011 at 1:24 pmSound right up my alley and so easy!
Susan
July 23, 2011 at 12:54 pmI love the flavors in this dish! It reminds me a little of the Thai Noodles dish that we love which has lots of ‘kick’ which we like. Some Thai Garlic Chili sauce and some red pepper flakes make it just spicy enough. This version looks wonderful with the shrimp.
Anna and Liz recipes
July 23, 2011 at 11:40 amthis looks fantastic!! i cant wait to make this for my family! thanks for the recipe!:)
Mary
July 23, 2011 at 11:02 amWhat a lovely dish for a hot summer night. I have a houseful of curry fans and I know they would enjoy this. I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Barbara
July 23, 2011 at 10:36 amI love your take-out version, Maris! (Wish I had read this last night.) I know we all turn to take out once in a while, but it’s always so much better if we make it ourselves.
Junia @ Mis Pensamientos
July 23, 2011 at 10:27 amwow love the ideas of curried noodles! rice noodles work especially well with this dish too! great idea 😀
Holly
July 23, 2011 at 9:40 amOh yum! Sounds amazing!
Liz
July 23, 2011 at 9:25 amLove the look of your Asian noddle dish…and approve of your philosophy 🙂 Have a great weekend, my friend!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella
July 23, 2011 at 8:05 amThis looks much, much better than what you would get delivered! If only they delivered something this good! 🙂
marla
July 23, 2011 at 6:40 amMaris, these noodles sound so great & I love the mix of the curry & teriyaki. Great flavors!
Maureen
July 22, 2011 at 10:27 pmWeeknight meals can be tough if you don’t want to spend all night cooking and cleaning up. This looks yummy.
The Harried Cook
July 22, 2011 at 10:06 pmYummy! I love curried noodles, and the shrimp takes it over the top! I am going to try this one soon… Thanks for sharing, Maris 🙂
sophia
July 22, 2011 at 9:23 pmI’m adventurous both sides, so I can’t say I totally understand people who tend to stick to their favorite dishes when they dine out. Please, next time try pad see ew or lard nah! I think that’s my “favorite” thai dish. Som tam is awesome, too. Ooh and Massaman curry!! 🙂
EA-The Spicy RD
July 22, 2011 at 7:32 pmLooks fantastic! I always tend to order the same things at Thai restaurants too. Nice to try something different for a change!
yummychunklet
July 22, 2011 at 7:19 pmI’ve been on a curry kick and love making them for weeknight dinners. They’re so easy! This recipe looks like a keeper.
peachkins
July 22, 2011 at 7:06 pmIt looks very flavorful!
amy @ fearless homemaker
July 22, 2011 at 7:00 pmi make a curried rice noodle dish that is similar to this, but with ground chicken instead. it’s one of my absolute favorites + i love your take on curried noodles here. great minds think alike! =)
Nelly Rodriguez
July 22, 2011 at 5:45 pmLove this! Rice noodles are awesome and so budget friendly!
katelin
July 22, 2011 at 5:12 pmthis looks so delicious and those noodles practically look like rice, mmmm.
Nicole@HeatOvenTo350
July 22, 2011 at 5:04 pmCongrats to Tessa! I love this healthier take on curried noodles. I’m not a fan of greasy food in general, and I love the idea that I could eat this more often.
Tessa
July 22, 2011 at 4:47 pmThank you Maris!! SO excited I won 🙂 Yipeeeee. This recipe looks perfect for me – I love shrimp and curry!
Ellie@fitforthesoul
July 22, 2011 at 4:20 pmWowww this looks soo good! Thai food is always good no matter what. Great job, Maris! And congrats to Tessa 🙂
alyssa - fashion fitness foodie
July 22, 2011 at 3:47 pmAH, that looks great. where could i buy rice noodles?
Divya Yadava
July 22, 2011 at 3:21 pmYumm…that sounds like a great worknight dinner! You can never go wrong with shrimp and noodles :).
Erica
July 22, 2011 at 2:51 pmIts so fun to make at home “take out!” This noodle dish looks great. I love a little heat, so I would definitely add in some red pepper
Geni
July 22, 2011 at 2:21 pmWhat a great way to have “take-out” at home, save money,and have control over your ingredients.
Sarah (everydaysapicnic)
July 22, 2011 at 2:16 pmThis sounds so good. I adore noodles – I had thai noodles for dinner tonight!
Anna and Liz REcipes
July 22, 2011 at 1:20 pmThis looks soooo delicious , I love that it is a simple meal on a busy weeknight for me.
Thanks 🙂
sarah
July 22, 2011 at 12:55 pmMy son loves all things shrimp. I think I’ll surprise him with this. Did you break up the noodles?
Three-Cookies
July 22, 2011 at 12:55 pmThis sounds like an excellent fusion dish
Kate
July 22, 2011 at 12:25 pmYum! I am in need of some weeknight inspiration and this looks fantastic! Love that it is also healthier too!
Greg
July 22, 2011 at 12:08 pmWhile I am very sad to not have a new blender, I’m thrilled to see such a great weeknight recipe. I got home later everyday this week from work and there’s a huge difference between what you have time to make when you’re off at 4:30 vs 6!
Shari @ Chicago Cuisine Critique
July 22, 2011 at 12:05 pmThis looks great! If only I had all of these ingredients lying around it would be even better. Happy Friday! 🙂