The Foodie Physician

Dining with the Doc: Hoisin Shrimp and Edamame Stir-Fry with Soba Noodles

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Have you ever had a stir-fry disaster?  Do you wonder why your stir-fry doesn’t look or taste like it does in restaurants?  A good stir-fry can be a home cook’s best friend- it’s a crowd-pleaser and is ideal for busy weeknights when you want to put a nutritious meal on the table fast.  But sometimes stir-fry can end up less than perfect with limp, soggy vegetables or dry, tough meat.  And how do you prevent the ingredients from sticking to the pan?  Here are some simple tips on this versatile ancient Chinese cooking technique to guarantee that your next stir-fry attempt will be a success.

5 Tips for Stir-Fry Success:
1.  Hot, hot, hot!
Getting your wok or pan really hot before you start to cook is key to ensuring stir fry success.  When your pan is hot, your meat will get seared which will give it a nice golden crust, leaving it juicy in the middle.  Veggies will stay crisp with a firm bite.  If you’re a beginner, start with your temperature on medium high and adjust from there.
2.  Use oil with a high smoke point and neutral flavor
This is not the time to use your extra virgin olive oil!  You want to use oil that can heat up to very high temperatures without burning and is also neutral in flavor to let the ingredients shine.  Try peanut, canola, corn, soybean or grapeseed oil for best results.  Dark sesame oil is used for seasoning- add it at the end of cooking to add delicious flavor.
 
3.  Mise en Place
This classic French technique of prepping all of your ingredients ahead of time is how professional kitchens are able to push so many dishes out of the kitchen quickly every night.  When making stir-fry, the cooking process is really quick so it’s key to have all of your ingredients prepped and chopped when you’re ready to start cooking.
4.  Don’t overcrowd the pan
Although you may be tempted to throw all of your ingredients into the pan at once, this will just steam your ingredients rather than sautéing them, leading to tough meat and mushy veggies.  When cooking meat, make sure each piece comes into contact with the surface of the pan- you may need to cook it in batches to ensure this.  Don’t stir the pieces around too much- let them develop a golden color on the outside.
5.  Cook in steps
The different components of stir-fry are usually cooked in stages- sear the meat first then remove from the pan.  Veggies go in next- things that take a longer time to cook like broccoli or eggplant go in first followed by veggies that cook quickly such as snow peas or spinach.  Then the meat is added back and the sauce is added to finish the dish.  This ensures that nothing gets overcooked and that each component is cooked to perfection.
Mise en Place

 

My yummy Hoisin Shrimp and Edamame Stir-Fry is a great way to incorporate healthy seafood into your diet and shrimp only takes a few minutes to cook.  Red bell peppers and vibrant green edamame add bright pops of color to this dish and they’re packed with nutrition.  Bell peppers are an excellent source of Vitamin C and also contain high levels of Vitamins A, E, K and B-complex vitamins as well as the antioxidant lycopene.  Edamame, which can be found in the frozen foods aisle of the grocery store, are green soybeans.  They’re high in protein, fiber and heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.  They’re also rich in several antioxidants, vitamins and minerals including Vitamin K, Folate and Manganese.  They are commonly served boiled or steamed in the pod with a light sprinkling of sea salt.  Shelled edamame are usually precooked and make a great addition to stir fry dishes, soups and stews.
Soba Noodles
Instead of rice, I serve my stir-fry with soba noodles.  Soba noodles are thin Japanese noodles made mainly from buckwheat flour. They have a mild nutty flavor and are commonly used in soups and cold salads.  They are a nice change from rice and I like to toss them directly into the stir-fry to get them evenly coated with the sauce.

 

5 from 1 vote
Print
Hoisin Shrimp and Edamame Stir-Fry with Soba Noodles
Course: Entree
Cuisine: Asian
Servings: 4
Calories: 371 kcal
Author: The Foodie Physician
Ingredients
  • 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce*
  • 3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon Sriracha or other hot sauce (optional)
  • 6 ounces soba noodles
  • 4 teaspoons neutral-flavored oil like grapeseed or safflower, divided use
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb. medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
  • 4 scallions, sliced
  • 1 ½ cups frozen shelled edamame, defrosted
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
  1. Mix the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, and Sriracha together in a bowl.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook until tender, 4-5 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse them with cold water.
  3. Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring often, until they just turn opaque, 2-3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.
  4. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the wok. Add the bell pepper, scallions (reserve some for garnish), and edamame. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until vegetables are crisp tender. Add the shrimp back to the wok along with the sauce. Cook until the sauce is heated through, about 1 minute, and then add the sesame oil and noodles. Toss to mix all of the ingredients together. Garnish with reserved scallions before serving.
Recipe Notes

* A sauce used in Chinese cooking that can be found in the Asian food aisle of most grocery stores

Nutrition Facts
Hoisin Shrimp and Edamame Stir-Fry with Soba Noodles
Amount Per Serving
Calories 371 Calories from Fat 50
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5.5g 8%
Saturated Fat 0.8g 4%
Total Carbohydrates 48.8g 16%
Dietary Fiber 3.7g 15%
Protein 27.9g 56%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

 

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Comments

  5. ur says

    March 16, 2012 at 3:42 pm

    You make it sound so simple and end up with a super looking dish. I now realize why my stir fry vegetables get soggy. I do all of them together!
    Tahnks for the tips.

    Reply

  7. Pauline says

    March 20, 2012 at 12:29 pm

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    Reply

  9. ur says

    September 15, 2012 at 3:18 pm

    You were right, this dish was a crowd pleaser. The only change that I did was to use the regular Chinese rice noodles BUT the vegetables remained crunchy and fresh looking.
    Thanks for the tips on cooking temperature and differences in the use of oils for stir fries.

    Reply

  11. Alanna says

    January 16, 2015 at 2:16 pm

    I was just saying how I'm craving soba noodles. Looks like this will be in the dinner rotation very soon 🙂 Stir fry can seem intimidating, but you just have to be prepped and ready to go! Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  13. Min Kwon says

    January 16, 2015 at 5:36 pm

    OH yes, I know all too well how disastrous stir-fries can turn out ;). All your tips are so so important to follow! I'm very guilty of overcrowding my pan as I have the tendency to want to add as much vegetables as I possibly can ;). And soba noodles..man..love that stuff!

    Reply

  14. Farrah says

    January 16, 2015 at 11:02 pm

    I'm somewhat of a failure to my own culture and haven't ever made a legitimate stir-fry, haha. I knew about the super hot wok and the step-by-step part, but thank you for the rest of the tips! <3 This looks delicious! 😀

    Reply

  15. Arman @ thebigmansworld says

    January 18, 2015 at 4:00 am

    Oh geebuz. I still remember the time my mum leant me her wok and I wrecked it by burning the oil in the centre.

    This looks delicious and I love a good stir fry- It's the best excuse to chuck well..anything in there! Shrimp is ALWAYS a winner! Also- hopefully it's just me but you're posts weren't showing up in bloglovin for some reason!

    Reply

    • sonaliruder says

      January 18, 2015 at 10:43 pm

      Haha, "Oh geebuz" is a new one to me! Thanks Arman, you really can't beat a good stir-fry.

      As for bloglovin, thanks for letting me know. For a while now, I've been having a problem when I leave a comment with commentluv, it keeps linking to my peach fro yo. Now I know there's a bigger problem with my feed not updating, but I don't know how to fix it! Arrgh!!!

      Reply

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