Glass Noodles with Shrimp and Cucumber

In search of a dinner for tonight, I thought about the "glass noodles" (mung bean thread noodles) that I keep in the pantry- they're quick to make, love sauces, and don't heat up the kitchen. Granted, our 65-and-cloudy days don't CARE if the kitchen is heated up or not, but I do! Tonight I had cucumbers, basil from the garden, and "poached shrimp." Gosh, I love that euphemism for "I filled a pyrex cup full of water and nuked some frozen shrimp." Drained and set aside to cool on ice, they were pretty good. The girls topped their noodles with just cucumber and yoshida sauce, but the sweet chili sauce and soy I coated mine is was perfect. Do you like spicy? I do. Nuanced, and balanced with something else sweet or smoky, I love spice!

This takes about 20 minutes from pantry to table, dirties on pan, and some bowls. Definite win!

Serves 4
Glass Noodles with Shrimp and Cucumber
4 bundles glass noodles (mung bean thread noodles)
1/2 red onion, chopped
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, chopped a few times into large pieces
cucumber, halved, seeded, and sliced
5-10 shrimp, cooked
2-4 Tablespoons oil
basil leaves
Sauce (sweet chili sauce, soy, terriyaki, etc.)


Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a wok over high heat until it smokes- add the onions and garlic, and stir for a few minutes until they smell good and are softened. Scrape into a bowl and set aside. Add more oil to the wok if you need to and let it heat. Add noodles and stir fry quickly until translucent, about 2 minutes- they want to stick together, so stir and separate and lift as best you can. Scrape noodles into a bowl and set aside.

Let everyone make their own noodle bowls, and top with sauce.