warm glass noodles with edamame.

We are at t-minus 36 hours until we arrive on the west coast which means we are at my least favorite part of getting ready for vacation which is the "I can't buy anything new at the supermarket and can only make dinner using things I have in the fridge and freezer".  I somehow always end up with bits of things in the fridge  as a result of week long random cooking adventures and somehow this problem always exacerbates itself right before we leave on any trip.  My way of dealing with this issue is to make pasta.  I have yet to find a food that you can't combine with pasta. (Pasta is kind of like eggs.  You can eat any food with eggs, that's why they are so perfect.)  This particular pasta dish is a favorite because of it's Asian influence.  There is something about an Asian sauce and the combination of sweet, tangy, salty, and spicy.  The melding of different flavors excites your taste buds  This noodle and edamame dish is unexpected and light and uses basic pantry items which makes it perfect for those nights when you don't know what to make for dinner.  

Warm Glass Noodles and Edamame
Recipe adapted from Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi

This is one of those dishes that really should just be used as a starting point.  I added in some leftover diced chicken and avocado to this dish as that's what we had in the fridge, but it would also be wonderful with diced carrots and pepper or leftover steak.  Really you can throw anything in.  (But I highly recomend avocado, it's wonderful here.)  

Serves 4

For the Sauce

2 tablespoons hot sesame oil
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
Juice of 1 - 2 limes
2 tablespoons pure rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon peanut butter (chunky or creamy)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
1 - 2 teaspoons Sriracha 

For the Pasta

7 ounce glass (cellophane) noodles
2 cups shelled cooked edamame
1 fresh chile, finely chopped
1 cup leftover protein or vegetables (if none replace with an extra 1/2 cup of edamame)
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons shredded fresh mint

Soak the noodles in a bowl of hot water for about 5 minutes, or until soft (don't leave them in the water too long or they will get soggy).  Drain and leave to dry.

To make the sauce, in a small bowl whisk together all of the sauce ingredients and set aside.  

In a large bowl, add the noodles, edamame, leftover protein, vegetables, mint, and cilantro.  Pour the sauce over the noodles and toss to combine ensuring all the noddles are sufficiently coated.  Serve garnished with more herbs.