Lemongrass Coconut Noodles with Shrimp

Prepare the lemongrass coconut sauce. Peel and discard the outer layer of the lemongrass stalks, slice off and discard the ends, then roughly chop the remaining stalks into 1/2-inch pieces. Combine the lemongrass, coconut milk, sliced ginger, lime juice and brown sugar in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until the sauce almost reaches a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue cooking the sauce (avoid letting it reach a full simmer) for at least 15 minutes, or until the noodle stir-fry is ready. Use a fine-mesh strainer to remove and discard the ginger and lemongrass solids from the sauce just before serving. Stir in the lime juice and fish sauce until combined, and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Cook the noodles. Meanwhile, as the sauce is cooking, cook the noodles just barely al dente according to package instructions. Drain the noodles in a strainer and rinse with cold water until the noodles are room temperature. Toss the noodles briefly with a drizzle of oil (I like to use toasted sesame oil, but olive oil will work) to keep them from sticking, and set aside until ready to use.

Season the shrimp. Season the shrimp on both sides with a generous sprinkle of salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, and set aside until ready to use.

Sauté the veggies. In a large non-stick sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots and sauté for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Add the shrimp. Push the veggies to one side of the pan and add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the empty space. Add the shrimp to the oil and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, flipping occasionally, until cooked through (they should be pink and opaque).

Combine everything. Immediately pour the sauce into the sauté pan with the shrimp and veggies, add in the Thai basil leaves and cooked noodles, and toss everything together until evenly combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper, as needed.

Serve. Serve warm, garnished with lots of thinly-sliced green onions, lime wedges, chopped fresh cilantro, extra Thai basil, and/or sliced Thai bird chiles. Enjoy!