Equipment
Ingredients
Noodles
- 250 g angel hair pasta, dry
- 3000 ml water
- 15 g kosher salt
Protein
- 400 g large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 250 g fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 g fresh ginger, minced
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
Lemon Stir-Fry Sauce
- 45 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 5 g lemon zest, finely grated
- 30 ml light soy sauce
- 15 ml oyster sauce
- 60 ml chicken broth
- 5 ml toasted sesame oil
- 5 g granulated sugar
- 5 g cornstarch
Cooking Oils
- 30 ml peanut oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 780 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 117 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fiber
- 10 g
- Sugar
- 27 g
- Sodium
- 2696 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 8 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Cholesterol
- 2 mg
- Potassium
- 668 mg
- Calcium
- 148 mg
- Iron
- 4.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 106 mg
- Phosphorus
- 365 mg
- Zinc
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 34 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 16 mg
- Vitamin E
- 3.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 68 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.29 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.14 mg
- Niacin
- 3.5 mg
- Folate
- 49 mcg
- Water
- 862 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
In a mixing bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon zest, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, chicken broth, toasted sesame oil, granulated sugar, and cornstarch. Use a whisk to blend until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. Set aside.
Bring water and kosher salt to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the angel hair pasta and cook 1 minute less than package directions so the noodles remain slightly firm. They will finish cooking in the wok.
Drain the noodles thoroughly using a colander. Rinse briefly with cold water to halt the cooking process and prevent clumping, then set aside.
Heat 15ml of peanut oil in a wok over high heat until shimmering. Add the dried shrimp in a single layer and sear until pink and opaque, reaching an internal temperature of 63 Celsius or 145 Fahrenheit. Remove shrimp with tongs and set aside.
Add the remaining 15ml of peanut oil to the wok. Add the thinly sliced fennel and the white parts of the scallions. Stir-fry constantly until the fennel begins to soften but retains a crisp texture.
Add the minced garlic and fresh ginger to the fennel. Stir-fry rapidly until highly fragrant, ensuring the garlic does not brown or turn bitter.
Return the seared shrimp to the wok along with the drained noodles. Give the lemon stir-fry sauce a quick stir to redistribute the cornstarch, then pour it over the wok contents. Toss vigorously with tongs until the sauce thickens and coats the noodles evenly.
Remove the wok from heat. Garnish with the remaining green parts of the scallions and reserved fennel fronds. Serve immediately while piping hot.
Chef's Notes
- Angel hair pasta is an excellent Western substitute for Asian wheat noodles because its fine gauge absorbs stir-fry sauces beautifully. However, its delicate structure means it goes from al dente to mush quickly, requiring precise timing.
- Fennel provides a sweet, subtle anise flavor that pairs exceptionally well with seafood. Slicing it uniformly thin ensures it cooks fast enough for a stir-fry application while remaining crisp.
- Always dry your shrimp thoroughly with paper towels before searing. Excess moisture drops the pan temperature, leading to steamed, rubbery shrimp rather than a flavorful sear.
- Citrus flavors dull when subjected to prolonged high heat. Adding the lemon sauce at the very end of the stir-fry preserves the bright, aromatic compounds of the lemon zest and juice.
Storage
Refrigerator: 2 days — Store in an airtight container. Reheat gently in a pan with a splash of water.
Reheating: Toss in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat until warmed through.
Troubleshooting
Noodles clump together and become mushy
Cause: Noodles were fully cooked in the boiling water or left sitting in the colander for too long without rinsing.
Fix: If slightly clumped before adding to the wok, rinse again with warm water to loosen. If completely mushy in the final dish, it cannot be fixed.
Prevention: Boil noodles for 1 minute less than package directions and rinse with cold water immediately after draining.
Sauce is too thin and pools at the bottom of the wok
Cause: Cornstarch settled at the bottom of the mixing bowl before pouring, or the wok was not hot enough to activate it.
Fix: Push the noodles to one side of the wok, let the liquid boil in the center for 30 to 60 seconds until thickened, then toss again.
Prevention: Always whisk cornstarch slurries or mixed sauces immediately before pouring into the pan.
Shrimp are tough and rubbery
Cause: Overcooked during the initial sear or left in the wok for the entire cooking process.
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Remove shrimp from the pan as soon as they turn pink, and only add them back at the very end to warm through.
Cultural Context
This dish bridges Mediterranean flavor profiles with East Asian culinary techniques. The pairing of fennel, lemon, and shrimp is a hallmark of coastal Italian cooking, while the high-heat wok tossing, soy-oyster base, and noodle integration draw directly from Chinese stir-fry traditions. This fusion creates a uniquely bright, light, and savory noodle dish.
