Peanut Sauced Easy Thai Noodles (small batch)

   

I've been really busy working on a special project this past week, getting it off the ground. I have been looking for quick and easy things to prepare and to eat. You don't get much easier or quicker than these delicious spicy Thai noodles with vegetables.

I have always been fond of Asian flavors.  I have never traveled in the far East, but I have eaten in quite a few Chinese and Thai restaurants in my life to know what I like!

 

Chinese and Thai are very much not the same thing.  Thai flavors tend to be quite a bit spicier!  I first tasted Thai food several years ago at a restaurant in Chester.

My friend Jo and her husband Colin were up for a few days and they have very adventurous palates.  They suggested that we all go to this Thai restaurant for supper and we were up for it. I guess we had adventurous palates also!

 

We ended up in a Thai restaurant on Lower Bridge Street in Chester city, called the Ruan Orchid and had a great time.

We decided we would each order something different, including starters, have them put in the middle of the table and then share everything. That way we would all get a little taste of a lot of different things. Kind of like a mini buffet.

 

For me, it was love at first bite.  I loved the fresh new flavors and textures.  So different than Chinese food.  

It was a beautiful combination of sweet, sour, spicy, salty and bitter.  With plenty of fresh vegetables, color and crunch. I think the favorite thing I had on that day was their fish cakes.  They were so delicious!

 

I especially loved the chicken curry.  I immediately wanted to go home and replicate it.  That's what I did. You can find the recipe here for a Thai Green Chicken Curry. Its fabulously tasty and one of my favorites! 

Thai food is completely different than Indian food, and Chinese food.  It can be very spicy, but not in an obnoxious way.  Well, I suppose that all depends on your.  Mine is never obnoxious because I don't really like overly spiced food.

 

I wasn't so bothered when I was younger about spicy, but now I am in my winter years, my digestion can't really tolerate too much heat or spice.

These Thai Noodles with a Peanut Sauce were something which I made for my dinner the other day.  I was really happy with the way they turned out.

 

The whole dish went together very quickly.  That is because I had everything ready to go before I even started.  Crisp carrot and red pepper.

I cut them on my Swiss mandolin cutter.  That is not something which I use very often.  Mostly because I am a tiny bit afraid of it, having really cut my finger badly once.  Never get cocky with a mandolin cutter.  Always wear a cut-proof glove and use the vegetable holder.

 

There are really only two vegetables in this dish, because mainly that is what I had the other day. You could switch that out a bit and add a few more, its up to you.  Just don't go crazy.

Simple is always best.  There isn't a lot of any one vegetable that you need. I used half a carrot and half a red pepper.

 

You will need some kind of long thin noodle as well. I used spaghettini.  It is a bit thinner than spaghetti. 

You could also use linguini, or fettuccine, etc. Just make sure it is long and it is thin.  This is not the time to use tagliatelle or Mafalda. Ramen noodles also work beautifully.

 

The real star here is that lush peanut sauce. I adore peanut sauce. It is the perfect combination of flavors.

I could eat it with  a spoon.  Salty soy, creamy peanut butter, sweet honey, a touch of sriracha sauce for some heat and garlic flavor.

 

Sriracha sauce is something I only started using a few years ago, and I do confess I use it quite judiciously.  I know people who squirt it all over their food.

That is not me.  I like a bit, but that's it.  Its far too hot for my taste in any large quantity!!  Call me a wimp, but it is what it is.

 

I like to be the one who does the biting when it comes to eating, and I am not very fond of food that bites back!

But this sauce, in the quantities given . . . its a tad bit spicy, but not overly so, and like I said, I could eat it with a spoon.

 

The garnishes are also really nice and add a lot both in terms of flavor and crunch to the dish, not to mention colour!

Chopped peanuts. I used roasted peanuts.  Sliced spring onions. They lend a touch of green and a certain fresh sharpness.

 

More green also comes from the use of chopped fresh coriander (cilantro). If you are not a fan, use flat leaf parsley in its place.  

Then there are sesame seeds, again for color and looks. There is not an appreciable amount so it adds no flavor.

 

Once you have everything prepped, it goes together in a flash.  Like magic.

You can be sitting down and enjoying this tasty dish in not much more than 10 minutes.  I small batched the recipe because there is only one of me and I didn't want to be eating it for a week. 

As it was half the recipe was more than ample for little old me. I couldn't even finish the half of that which I put into my bowl. Very filling.

 

It did make for a lovely lunch/dinner though and I really enjoyed it.  I adapted the recipe from one that I found here. 

And, yes it was easy and very tasty!

I don't have any chopsticks now, so I had to make do with a fork.  Mental note to self, buy some chopsticks one of these days.  They come in handy for all sorts.

If you are looking for a nice, quick, easy and tasty lunch, then you can't go far wrong with this.  Its also vegetarian and if you use rice noodles, gluten free!

Enjoy!

Peanut Sauced Easy Thai Noodles

Yield: 2

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min

These spicy noodles are so simple to make a wonderfully easy and tasty lunch! This goes together very quickly if you have everything ready to go before you start cooking.

Ingredients

• 1 TBS vegetable oil
• 6 ounces (170g) spaghettini, fettuccini, etc. (you want a long thin noodle)
• 1 fat clove of garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 medium carrot, peeled and julienned
• 1/2 red bell pepper, trimmed and julienned
• 2 TBS soy sauce
• 1/2 TBS honey
• 2 TBS creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 tsp sriracha sauce
• 2 TBS chopped roasted peanuts
• 1 spring onion, trimmed and sliced
• 1/2 tsp sesame seeds
• chopped fresh coriander to garnish

Instructions

1. Cook your noodles according to the package directions. Drain well and rinse.
2.  Whisk together the soy sauce, honey, peanut butter and sriracha sauce.  Set aside.
3. Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the carrots, peppers and garlic. Cook, stirring, until crispy tender and fragrant, about 3 minutes. 
4. Add the noodles and sauce.  Toss well together and heat through.
5. Sprinkle with the chopped peanuts, sliced spring onions, coriander and sesame seeds. Serve immediately.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it #marierayner5530

Created using The Recipes Generator

This content (written and photograph) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com. 

Follow my blog with Bloglovin