Glass noodles, also known as cellophane noodles, are a type of transparent noodle made from starch. The recipe below calls for sweet potato glass noodles, but any type of cellophane noodle can be substituted. The sweet potato variety is most common in Korean cuisine. Once softened, they can be stir-fried, baked, and even deep fried. In this recipe, they get drained and tossed with a flavorful sauce to become the base of a bevy of toppings for a quick and delicious dinner that even checks the healthy box!
If you are running low on time and energy, you can opt to use a bottled sauce of your choosing instead of whisking together the one listed in the recipe. I like the blend of flavors it brings to the table, but any number of excellent premade sauces will also do. As for the vegetables and even the shrimp are all tweakable. I like making the noodles and putting a few vegetable toppings prepared differently to bring a variety of colors, flavors, and textures to the bowl. I used frozen shrimp tempura that was air fried in these, but sautéed shrimp, stir-fried tofu, leftover chopped chicken or pork, or any number of other protein options will do. Bang bang sauce can be made from scratch (link included), poured from a bottle of your favorite premade sauce, or skipped or substituted as desired. As is so often the case, make it yours.
I don't make anything else with this dish because it has it all. I simply pour a cold glass of iced tea and call it dinner. And then I marvel at how nice it is to have a quick, healthy, downright delicious dinner in front me. Enjoy!
Sweet Potato Glass Noodles with Vegetables and Shrimp
- 12 ounces uncooked Korean sweet potato glass noodles
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons hot honey or regular honey
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 2 dashes fish sauce
- 2 cups trimmed broccoli
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 cup sugar snap peas
- 1 cup coarsely shredded carrots
- 8-12 shrimp, prepared to your tastes — I air-fried ready made tempura shrimp
- Fresh cilantro, for garnish
- Bang bang sauce, for drizzle
Using an electric tea kettle or other method, bring 1½ liters of water to boiling. Place the Korean sweet potato glass noodles in a large, heat proof bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Add the boiling water and place the lid on the bowl. Allow the noodles to soak for 10-15 minutes or until your desired consistency has been reached; drain.
While the noodles soak, combine the next 8 ingredients (soy sauce through fish sauce) in a small bowl and whisk thoroughly to combine. When the noodles have been drained, return them to the now-empty bowl and toss well with the soy sauce mixture. Lid and set aside.
Place the broccoli in a microwave safe bowl with 2 tablespoons of water covering it. Place a lid or plastic wrap over the bowl and microwave for 2-3 minutes until your desired level of crisp-tender has been reached; drain.
While the broccoli cooks, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick skillet or sauté pan. Add the sugar snap peas and stir-fry lightly. If you want to add the carrots at the last minute, you can - but they are lovely uncooked too. If you are air-frying shrimp, now would be a good time to do that according to the package instructions.
To assemble your bowls, split the noodles evenly among two large serving bowls. Add the shredded carrots, steamed broccoli, stir fried sugar snap peas, and shrimp (cooked to your tastes) to the top of the noodles. Sprinkle generously with fresh torn cilantro and drizzle with bang bang sauce. Serve immediately.
- Yields: 2 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes