The Home Cook: Singapore Noodles

My little sister (Who by virtue of turning 20 in July is not so little.) has decided to learn how to cook. Like a lot of people from the "newer" generations being feminine and being able to cook do not go hand in hand and I don't recall a lot of enthusiasm on her part to be a kitchen helper for our mom or myself. She has, through the years, puttered here and there but she hasn't really shown a lot of love for that room with the fridge and stove. In her defense the kitchen hasn't shown a lot of love in return...I mean the incident with the flour and the fan would be enough to put off the most seasoned baker, let alone a little girl of eight. But putting past experiences aside she has decided to become master of her culinary destiny.

I'm not sure what brought this on. Perhaps she's realized that in the very near future she will indeed be responsible for feeding herself (Mom has always been very clear that no child of hers will live at home after they graduate from their chosen institute of higher education.) or maybe she isn't as happy with mom's delicious yet calorie laden style of cooking as she was when we were kids. Of course it's just plain possible that somewhere in the deep recesses of a cupboard she finally found a calling to take up the skillet and spatula on her own. What ever her reasoning or motivation, Kara has decided to cook.

It's been a rare treat over the last six months to watch her interest in new foods and techniques grow. While she still isn't cooking a lot, her interest in it has multiplied boundlessly. It's been fun to point her to my favorite cookbooks, websites and blogs. It's been even more fun to chat with her about things that went well, things that didn't and answer all those questions new cooks seem to have. To date my favorite question has also been the most vague...do I have any advice? Sure! Good advice? Sure! And that would be?

...?

After considerable thought, I think the best thing I can offer is to limit the number of new things in a recipe yet always try to have some element about it be new. Whether it's an untried technique, cooking method or food, the one thing I've learned is that controlled experimentation can be a very good thing. Limiting the number of "new" things in a recipe makes it less daunting and should something go very, very, very wrong (which, eventually it will) a limited number of weak links makes it easier to find out what exactly failed. The other thing I think is important is to remember that it's just food, at worst your out the ingredients and the $15 for an emergency pepperoni & cheese supper. No one has died from a burnt quiche, and while food poisoning has been known to occur from time to time...it is very rare. A bad supper can be a miserable experience, but if you've learned something then it wasn't a complete waste. (Which is such good advice I should really take it to heart myself.)

The flip side of playing food guru (which is ironic since I'm the pickiest person I know) is that her excitement has inspired me to be a bit bolder. Hence last night's supper of Singapore Noodles. While the technique was nothing to write home about, the fact that I made and ate a dish containing bean sprouts is pretty revolutionary. (I also had to learn what mirin was and locate it in a city that only just started carrying Nutella.) The scary part, they were pretty good...though next time I need to steep the rice noodles a bit longer.

Singapore Noodles

From America's Test Kitchen The Best 30-Minutes Recipe Cookbook

6 oz. Vermicelli Rice Noodles, prepared according to pkg. directions
1 lb. 40/50 raw Shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 1/2 teaspoons Curry, divided
2 Tablespoons Oil, divided*
1 Red Bell Pepper, thinly sliced
3 Shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves Garlic, finely minced
1 cup Bean Sprouts, rinsed
3/4 cup Chicken Broth
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Mirin
4 Green Onions, finely sliced

Soak the noodles in hot tap water until softened, pliable and limp but not fully tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.

While the noodles soak pat shrimp dry with paper towels and toss with 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, just until smoking. Add shrimp and saute until spotty brown and just pink around the edges. About 1 1/2 - 2 minutes. Transfer shrimp t clean bowl, cover and set aside.

Add remaining oil to skillet and return to medium and heat until oil shimmers. Add shallots, pepper and remaining 2 teaspoons of curry powder and cook until vegetables have softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir in drained vermicelli, shrimp and their accumulated juices, bean sprouts, broth, soy sauce, mirin and scallions. Cook, tossing constantly, until noodles and vegetables are heated through.

*Notes:

- I used chili sesame oil instead of vegetable oil for a bit more flavor.
- For our house the tap water wasn't hot enough to quickly soften the noodles, next time I'll need to heat the water in the kettle a bit first.