Healthy Recipe, Shrimp & Broccoli Stir Fry

Here’s an easy stir-fry adapted from Feel Good Foodie. It can be ready in less than 30 minutes,  especially if you buy pre-peeled shrimp and bagged broccoli. Searing the broccoli first to give it some char adds an extra flavor dimension without an extra ingredient. A cut-up red or yellow bell pepper is a great addition if you have it. Hold off adding the shrimp until the broccoli’s nearly done to avoid overcooking. You can serve this over white or brown rice, but it’s especially delicious tossed with the flat rice noodles used for pad Thai. Serves 4.

Sauce: 

• 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• ½ teaspoon Sriracha, plus more for serving
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (or 1 teaspoon powdered)
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh garlic (or 1 teaspoon powdered)
• Juice of 1 lime

Stir fry: 

• 8 ounces pad Thai rice noodles
• 1 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons avocado or other neutral oil
• 12 ounces bite-size broccoli florets (in the bag or cut from a large head)
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper, cut in strips or squares (optional)
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced, cooked according to package directions
• Sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

1. Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar or honey, Sriracha, cornstarch, ginger, garlic, and lime juice. 
2. Prepare the noodles: Soak in hot water about 20 minutes, or until tender but not mushy, and drain in a colander, or follow instructions on the package. (Sprinkle with a little oil if needed to break up clumps.) 
3. Prepare the stir fry: Pat the shrimp dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Set aside. 
4. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. Add the broccoli and bell pepper, if using, and cook and stir until lightly charred, 2 or 3 minutes. 
5. Lower the heat to medium high, add half the scallions, and continue cooking for 2 more minutes, or until the broccoli is crisp-tender. Then add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink and almost cooked through, 3 or 4 minutes. 
6. Add the soy sauce mixture and toss with the shrimp and vegetables. Cook until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
7. Remove from the heat, stir in the rice noodles until thoroughly coated with the sauce, then divide among bowls or plates. Sprinkle each serving with remaining scallions and sesame seeds and add an extra squirt of Sriracha if you like more heat.  

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