Thai Vermicelli with Shrimp and Vegetables

This dish was meant to be a soup. Last weekend my mom approached me and asked me to make tom kah gai, a Thai lemongrass and chicken soup. At first I was ready to do it but then I asked her if I could make a different Thai soup instead featuring coconut milk, shrimp, and vermicelli rice noodles. My mom, having discovered a couple of months ago that she actually loves coconut milk, agreed to the idea.

So on Monday I came home from class, having bought all my ingredients the day before, and proceeded to prepare the soup. Eventually, I was pleased with the flavors and consistency so I removed the pot from the burner and went upstairs to work on some homework. My mom came home half and hour later and called me down, asking why I hadn't made the soup. "What do you mean?" I asked, and pointed to the pot. She opened the lid and showed me that my once liquid soup had thickened and turned into a creamy noodle dish with shrimp and vegetables immersed throughout, but definitely not a soup.

We both still ate the dish and quite enjoyed the flavor, but I was disappointed that it hadn't come out as I intended it to. I think that the problem lay in the noodles; I had meant to buy the type of vermicelli that look like "glassy" noodles and remain clear within the soup. Instead, my clear rice noodles turned white once they were added to the pot, releasing their starches in the liquid and thickening the soup in the process. A friend of mine suggested buying the vermicelli made of bean curd instead and after some research I discovered that these bean noodles, also known as "glass noodles" are in fact what I should have been looking for. Next time I'll know better but for now I'm still happy because the noodles were eaten up in a cinch.

Thai Vermicelli with Shrimp and Vegetables

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
• 1 tbsp Ponzu sauce
• 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 tsp chopped lemongrass
• 1 lime, juiced and zested
• 1 12 oz (400 mL) can coconut milk
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 red bell peppers, sliced
• 2 cups shelled edamame
• 400 grams (about 30) pre-cooked shrimp 
• 100 grams vermicelli rice noodles
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

1.  In a large pot over high heat saute the onion until translucent, about 3-5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine the chili garlic sauce, ponzu sauce, ginger, lemongrass, lime zest and juice and whisk together until homogenous.
3. Add the mixture to the onions and stir to coat evenly.
4. Add the coconut milk, stock, pepper, and edamame and stir well to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer and continue to heat until the peppers soften.
5. Meanwhile, in a separate skillet heat the shrimp on high heat for about 1-2 minutes, making sure all of the excess water drains from them.
6. Using a slotted spoon, add the shrimp to the pot and stir through evenly.
7. To prepare the noodles, soak them in some lukewarm water for 5-7 minutes then drain and rinse with cold water. 
8. Add the noodles to the pot and gently stir to incorporate with the vegetables and shrimp. Use minimal stirring as the noodles tend to break easily. 
9. Finish off by stirring in the chopped cilantro, saving some to garnish on top. Although the dish may be liquidy at first, it will definitely thicken once the noodles release their starches.