I will not be bested by an Asian noodle recipe with a list of 16 ingredients – not I! Ginger? Bah! Garlic? No need! A little soy sauce or tamari goes a long way toward delicious in this dish. A word of advice: grab the low-sodium soy sauce unless you want a salt bomb for dinner. Take it to the next level (and break the Just 5 rules) with a quick pickle: Mix thinly sliced cucumber and red onion with rice vinegar and pinch of salt. Let it rest while you prepare the noodles and sauce, then serve alongside the dish to complement the flavor and texture.
Shrimp and Scallion Noodles
2 servings as a entree, 4 to 6 servings as a side
8 oz. udon noodles
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 bunches green onions, chopped into 2-inch pieces (green parts only)
½ cup tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
½ lb. small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the udon noodles until tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
• In a medium nonstick skillet, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the scallions and saute 2 to 3 minutes, until they start to brown and caramelize. Add the tamari and brown sugar and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the shrimp and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until they are cooked through. Add the noodles and toss to combine.
Dee Ryan is a longtime contributor to Sauce Magazine and regularly pens Make This.
This article appears in September 2016.