Rice Noodles w/ Gingery Vegetables & Peanut Sauce

 This dish is packed with flavor and is oh, so easy. (Serves 6)

Rice Noodles with Gingery Vegetables and Peanut Sauce

Peanut Sauce:
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
2 T. soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup hot water
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 T. brown sugar
1 T. rice vinegar
1 T. red curry paste
Whisk together first 3 ingredients in a bowl. Whisk in hot water. Add remaining ingredients and whisk to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside (for up to one hour).

Noodles and Vegetables:
6.75-8oz rice noodles (also called 'rice sticks')
2 T. olive oil
2T. sesame oil, divided
3 T. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 cups fresh broccoli florets, cut into strips
3 large carrots, cut onto matchstick size strips
5 green onions, white parts cut into matchstick size strips and green parts chopped
1 cup frozen green peas
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
2 T. dry Sherry
chopped, roasted peanuts for garnish, if desired
sesame seeds for garnish, if desired

Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, remove from heat. Add noodles and cover for at least 10 minutes or until soft. Meanwhile, heat olive oil and 1 T. sesame oil in an extra-large skillet. Add ginger and garlic, stir for 30 seconds. Add broccoli and carrots, saute 3 minutes. Add green onions, peas, and bell pepper, saute 3 more minutes. Add Sherry and saute until vegetables are crisp-tender. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Drain noodles well and toss with the remaining 1 T. of sesame oil.

Arrange a pile of noodles on each plate. Arrange vegetable on top of noodles, but off-center. Top with peanut sauce on and around noodles and vegetable, but don't soak everything. (The idea is to have some bites positively drenched in sauce and other with practically no sauce at all.) Serve extra sauce at the table. Garnish with chopped peanuts, if desired. (This is my creation, but the original idea for this recipe came from bon appetit.)