Peanut Curry Noodles with Seared Shrimp & Scallops

This is a quick, but delicious weeknight dinner.  I realized while eating that it's been a while since I made anything even remotely Asian and I think I've missed it.  I skipped on the scallions and cilantro, but I'm sure they'd be a nice addition.


Peanut Curry Noodles with Seared Shrimp & Scallops (from Love & Olive Oil) (from Rachel Ray)

Ingredients
1 lb noodles
5 tablespoons vegetable oil or peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 inches ginger root, minced or grated
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 to 1/3 cup tamari dark soy sauce
2 rounded tablespoonfuls red curry paste
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 cup light coconut milk
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoons five-spice powder
12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
12 diver scallops, trimmed and patted dry

1. Heat a large pot of water for noodles. When water boils, add noodles and cook according to package directions.
2. While noodles cook, heat a large, deep skillet over medium heat with 2 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil. Add garlic, ginger, red bell pepper, and pepper flakes to the pan and cook together a couple of minutes, then add peanut butter and melt it. Whisk soy into peanut butter, then stir in curry paste. Turn down the heat to low. Add sesame oil, coconut milk, and brown sugar and stir until combined.
3. Heat a small to medium skillet over high heat. Rub seafood with spice powder. Add 3 tablespoons of remaining oil to hot skillet. Place the shrimp in the pan and cook 1 minute, flip and sear the other side until just opaque. Remove shrimp to a plate and set aside. Add another 3 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and heat back up to smoking. Add the scallops and sear on both sides until opaque. Remove scallops and add to the plate of shrimp. [I was lazy and had a bad of shrimp and scallops combined and just cooked it all at once.]
4. Drain noodles and return to pot. Add the sauce and toss thoroughly. Serve noodles on plates and top with seafood.