Asian Noodle Bowl

In my seemingly never-ending quest to eat all things spicy, I came up with this simple noodle dish. It was just the perfect thing for a rainy friday night dinner, and the best part is that I was able to make the whole thing in a single pot in under half an hour.

Last weekend I went to the asian market, which is where I found these noodles. They are conveniently split up into 3 bundles within the packaging, which makes it incredibly easy to measure out! Also, as a small tip, the asian market is the best place to buy fresh basil, you get a big bag of it for a fraction of the cost of fresh basil at the regular grocery store.

Asian Noodle Bowl

(Makes 1 big serving, or 2 smaller side servings)

1/3 package of Udon noodles

1 c. Chicken Broth

3-4 Mini peppers (sliced into thin strips)

1 c. Mung bean sprouts

1/2 c. Baby spinach (chopped)

1/2 c. Cilantro (chopped)

2 tbs. Lime juice

1 tbs. Fish sauce (soy sauce would work here as well)

1 tsp. Sriracha hot sauce

1 tsp. Minced garlic

1/2 tsp. Ground ginger

2 tbs. Fresh (this is important, FRESH) basil (chopped)

1. Heat a medium-sized pot over medium heat and add a small amount of oil. I used olive oil from my olive oil sprayer, if you don't already have one of these, GET ONE! It is seriously the best and it allows me to never ever have to buy Pam.

2. Once the pot is hot, add the sliced peppers. Stir occasionally and cook until they are soft (usually 5 minutes or so).

3. Meanwhile, combine lime juice, fish sauce, sriracha, garlic, and ginger in a small bowl and stir until mixed.

4. Once the peppers are cooked, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil.

5. As soon as the broth is boiling, throw the noodles and bean sprouts into the pot and cook 4-5 minutes, until the noodles are just underdone. There will not be much liquid in the pot (this is ideal) but keep and eye on it and feel free to add a splash of water if it seems to be getting too low. The goal here is to reduce down the chicken broth so that it becomes almost a thick sauce.

6. Once the noodles have cooked, add the spinach, cilantro, and sauce. Stir until it is well mixed.

7. Transfer the noodles to a different dish and top with the basil and a few squirts of sriracha if you like things spicier.

Nutrition for the full recipe:
Calories: 427     Carbs: 81    Fat: 2     Protein: 19     Fiber: 7