Rice Noodles with Spinach and Peas

This recipe was originally from my friend Sandy. Every time I want to make this lunch again, I have to go on a hunt to find where the recipe lives. So I'm putting it here for my convenience's sake. If you want to try it, I gotta warn you that (the way I make this stuff) it looks kinda like the gloop that Calvin sometimes sees on his dinner plate. But it tastes awesome!

This is way better when made with fresh produce, but this is my out-of-the-pantry version ...


12-oz package of brown rice noodles
(regular rice noodles okay if you can't find brown)

Cover noodles with tepid or warm water and soak for a few minutes while starting the rest of the dish.

Stir-fry
1" piece of ginger, grated
2 cloves garlic, crushed
in 1 Tbsp olive oil
for about 30 seconds.

Add
1.5 cups boiling water
1 Tbsp soy sauce.

(I usually just start with the hot water and Kikkoman, and add powdered garlic and ground ginger from my spice cabinet. Lazy, I know...)

Drain the noodles. Using kitchen shears, snip the noodles into shorter pieces.

Add
2 cups peas
rice noodles
to the spicy boiling water.
Cook 3 minutes.

Add 1 pound spinach leaves.
Toss over the heat for a couple more minutes,
until noodles are tender and spinach is wilted.

(This time of year, I start with a 10-oz package of frozen spinach in the boiling water, and add the noodles and a 1# bag of frozen peas once I've gotten the spinach thawed and broken into small pieces.)

Remove noodles from heat.

Make sauce of
2 Tbsp peanut butter
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2/3 cup milk
Heat until nearly boiling.

Toss sauce with noodles, peas, and spinach mixture.
Garnish with cubed avocado and roasted peanuts.

Around here, it serves 4. Your mileage may vary, as in, it may serve 8-10 at your house.