XO Noodles with Seared Scallops
A restaurant-style Cantonese-inspired noodle dish featuring sweet sea scallops, shiitake mushrooms, sugar snap peas, Napa cabbage, and rich XO sauce.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
Scallops
- 1¼ pounds large sea scallops about 10-12
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
Noodles
- 14 oz Thai Kitchen Stir-Fry Rice Noodles
- 1 teaspoon neutral oil for tossing
Vegetables
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 5 oz shiitake mushrooms sliced
- 2 cups napa cabbage cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup sugar snap peas
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger finely minced or julienned
- 4 scallions whites and greens separated
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
Sauce
- 5 tablespoons XO sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- White pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Prepare scallops: Pat the scallops very dry and remove the side muscles if present. Set aside on a plate.
- Cook the noodles: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then remove from heat. Add the Thai Kitchen Stir-Fry Rice Noodles and let stand 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft but firm. Drain well and immediately toss with the neutral oil to prevent sticking. Set aside. Even with the oil, you may need to toss or run your fingers through the noodles intermittently to keep them from sticking together.
- Stir-fry the vegetables: Add the oil to a heated, smoking wok and stir-fry the garlic, ginger, and scallion whites for about 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms and cook 2 minutes. Add the Napa cabbage and stir-fry 2-3 minutes. Add the sugar snap peas and cook 1 minute more. Add the Shaoxing wine, lower the heat, and simmer until nearly evaporated.
- Heat cast iron: Start heating the cast iron skillet for the scallops on another burner on high heat, while finishing with the OK sauce in the wok.
- Bloom the XO sauce: Push the vegetables to the sides of the wok. Add the XO sauce directly to the center and stir for 30-45 seconds until fragrant. Mix with the vegetables, then remove from heat.
- Sear the scallops: Lightly season with salt. When the cast iron skillet is smoking, add the oil. Add the scallops and sear without moving for about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook another 1-2 minutes until just opaque in the center. Transfer to a plate immediately.
- Finish: Add the cooked noodles, soy sauce, sugar, and white pepper, and toss over high heat for 1-2 minutes until everything is evenly coated. Turn off the heat and drizzle with sesame oil.
- Plate: Using tongs, place the noodles and vegetables into bowls. Arrange the scallops neatly on top. Garnish with sliced scallion greens. Optional garnish: fried shallots.
Notes
Serves 3-4.