Shrimp Spring Roll Noodle Bowl

You can either mince the garlic and whisk all ingredients together - or put everything in a bullet blender or small food processor and buzz it. That’s: 3 cloves garlic, 2 Tablespoons rice vinegar, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup fish sauce, some zest and all of the juice from 3 limes (around ⅓ cup), and ⅓ cup vegetable oil.

Cook your rice noodles according to the package instructions. Some noodles call for boiling and others for soaking in cold water. Either way, stir often, rice noodles can easily clump and stick. You can either toss the noodles while hot with a few Tablespoons of the sauce, or run them under cold water to serve the dish cold, and then drain and toss with sauce.

Meanwhile, prep the shrimp. Peel and devein, if not already done. Pat dry with a towel or paper towel. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Melt the butter and add shrimp in one layer; do 2 batches if needed rather than squish them together. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and cook until pink and a bit golden brown, then flip. Cook another minute or until shrimp are just opaque in the center. Don’t overcook shrimp! Set aside - cook a second batch if needed.

Slice the mint and basil, thinly slice the serrano chili, wash and thinly slice the bell pepper and carrot into thin strips - julienne cut is a nice shape, but you can cut however is easiest for you. Slice cucumbers into half-moon rounds. Slice avocado.

Toss the noodles with the sweet garlic lime sauce and add all the other ingredients. Gently toss. If you prefer a more composed presentation, place noodles in a bowl and garnish with specific vegetables and herbs on top. Garnish with chopped peanuts. Serve bowls with extra sauce.