Program Success August 2014 | Page 27

Recipes

Crispy Rice Vermicelli with Seafood in Coconut

Here we cook a mix of seafood in a traditional Filipino coconut sauce and pour it over crispy , deep-fried rice vermicelli . Some of the noodles soften and some remain crispy , giving the dish a full range of textures .
Yield : Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
• 2 cups ( 500 ml ) vegetable oil
• ¼ cup ( 50 ml ) chopped shallots or onions
• 2 tsp ( 10 ml ) minced garlic
• 1 to 3 tsp ( 5 to 15 ml ) finely chopped chilies
• 2 tsp ( 10 ml ) minced ginger root
• 3 anchovies , chopped , or 1 tbsp ( 15 ml ) fish sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 stalk lemongrass ( optional ), cut into short lengths
• 1 tbsp ( 15 ml ) finely chopped celery
• 1 tbsp ( 15 ml ) chopped parsley
• ½ tsp ( 2 ml ) black pepper
• 1 can ( 14 oz [ 400 ml ]) coconut milk
• ¼ tsp ( 1 ml ) salt
• 1 package ( 16 oz [ 450 g ]) thin rice vermicelli
• 3 garlic cloves , thinly sliced
• 4 green onions , cut into short lengths
• 2 to 4 finger chilies , cut into short lengths
• 24 mussels or small clams
• 12 to 18 shrimp , peeled and deveined
• 8 oz ( 250 g ) fish fillet , cut into 4 pieces
Directions
1 . In a saucepan , heat 1 tbsp ( 15 ml ) of the oil over medium-high heat ; cook shallots until golden . Stir in garlic ; cook until golden . Stir in chilies and ginger ; cook until softened . Stir in anchovies ( if using ), bay leaves , lemon grass ( if using ), celery , parsley and pepper ; cook , stirring , until fragrant . Stir in coconut milk , salt and fish sauce ( if using ); bring to a boil , reduce heat to simmer and cook 2 minutes . Set aside . 2 . Divide rice vermicelli into 4 equal portions . In a deep saucepan or wok , heat remaining oil to 350 ° F ( 180 ° C ); cook 1 portion of noodles until they swell and tum crispy , turning once . With a strainer , remove noodles from wok ; drain on paper towels . Repeat with remaining noodles . Remove all but 2 tbsp ( 25 ml ) of the oil from the wok ; cook garlic until golden and
Program Success Recipes Crispy Rice Vermicelli Seafood coconut Jacksonville , Florida August 2014
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Nutrients per serving Calories 1053 kcal Calcium 13 % daily value Vitamin C 74 % daily value Vitamin A 4 % daily value Potassium 1038 mg Magnesium 152 mg Protein 34 g Sugar 1 g Fiber 3 g Total Carbohydrate 112 g Cholesterol 106 mg Sodium 1087 mg Saturated Fat 21 g Fat 53 g crisp . Remove with a slotted spoon ; drain on paper towel . 3 . Bring coconut sauce to a simmer over medium heat . Stir in green onion , chilies , mussels , shrimp and fish ; cover and cook until shellfish opens and fish is cooked through . Put one portion of noodles on each of 4 plates ; spoon seafood coconut sauce over top . Serve garnished with fried garlic .
Notes
Use a wok for frying the noodles ; they triple in size quite quickly when immersed in hot oil . Vary the mix of seafood according to taste and availability . The sauce can be made well ahead of time , as can the frying of the noodles , so the final cooking time is usually quite short .