shrimp with peanut sauce

I love the taste of peanuts in savory dishes.  I sprinkle peanuts on my Pho, even though it certainly isn't traditional.  I ask for extra peanuts for my pad thai, and I inevitably ferret out any peanut dishes if we visit a Chinese joint.  Needless to say (though I am going to go ahead and say it), I love Asian noodle dishes with peanut sauces.  Most often found dressing cold noodle salads, peanut dressings tend to be strongly flavored with a nice balance of sweet, hot, and savory-- I also think they posses an abundance of umami flavor.

I like peanut sauces in hot stir fries--also not traditional--particularly with shrimp and chicken.  I tend to make my peanut sauces by nosing around in the cabinet and fridge for flavors that go well with peanut butter, and I always use chunky because I like the added texture.  On this dish I made the peanut sauce with grated ginger, fresh garlic, hot red chile paste, chunky PB, soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, a dash of sugar, sesame oil, and a bit of water to thin it out.  It pays to taste your sauce carefully as you go and add ingredients in small increments, until you like what you taste.  In the past I have used lime juice, coconut milk, fresh hot chiles, five spice powder, worcestershire, lemon grass, mirin, tamari, and fish sauce--don't worry--not necessarily all at the same time.  If anyone wants the specifics for a decent recipe, email me, and I will spell out the details.

The shrimp got marinated for about 20 minutes in coconut milk, ground cumin and coriander, fresh ginger and lemongrass, and fresh hot chiles.

 shrimp only need a few minutes in a marinade, particularly if

there is an acid in it, which will begin to "cook" the meat

Next came the veggie prep.  I had fresh sweet pepper, bean sprouts, red onions, cilantro, and frozen peas.  I also had bunapi mushrooms, which I found in the crisper drawer three days later, so they got sauteed with some peas for another meal.

when doing a quick stir fry, prepping ahead is essential

shrimp are the first in the hot tub

then onions and peppers

and finally the sprouts, peas, and cilantro,

which should just be warmed through--still nice and crunchy

Finally, the shrimp goes back in.  Did I mention that I boiled up some noodles to serve with this dish?  I used Udon noodles, but any sort of noodle would do.  Rice would be nice, as well.  If you are using noodles, toss the noodles with a few generous dollops of the peanut sauce., and serve the stir fry on top.  It makes for a prettier presentation.  If you are using rice, add the sauce to the stir fry.

another scrumptious retreat from the usual holiday season fare