Thai Cashew Noodles With Spicy Scallops & Cashew Butter

Cashews are a food you can truly enjoy while also doing your heart a favor. Try blending them into a nut butter that can go from snack time to the main meal.;) Nut butters are all the rage in the health market but they can be expensive. Enjoy it! This whole dish is good and good for you. CuisineAtHome.com -- Issue 80, April 2010. :) Cooling time = 20 min to 2 hours -- not accounted for.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• FOR CASHEW BUTTER

• 1  cup roasted cashews
• 3  tablespoons water
• 1  tablespoon canola oil or 1  tablespoon  peanut oil
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

• SCALLOPS

• 2  limes, divided
• 4  tablespoons honey, divided
• 2  teaspoons  chili-garlic sauce, divided
• 2  tablespoons  grated fresh ginger, divided
• 1  tablespoon  minced garlic
• 12  sea scallops
• 1⁄2 cup smooth cashew butter
• 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1  tablespoon canola oil or 1  tablespoon  peanut oil
• 1⁄4 cup  minced fresh cilantro
• 1⁄4 cup  roaste cashew halves

• NOODLES

• 1  red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 2  large carrots, julienned
• 2  cups snow peas
• 4  ounces  wide rice noodles
•  salt

Directions

1. CASHEW BUTTER:.
2. Pulse cashews in a mini food processor until paste-like; add water and oil, pulse until mixture is creamy.
3. Add sugar and salt; pulse to incorporate.
4. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
5. SCALLOPS, SAUCE, NOODLES & VEGETABLES:.
6. Bring a pot of water to boil for the vegetables and noodles.
7. Combine juice of 1 lime, 2 T honey, 1 tsp chili garlic sauce, 1 T ginger and garlic in a large bowl.
8. Add scallops, tossing to coat; marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or as long as 2 hours.
9. Ass bell pepper, carrots, peas, and noodles to boiling water; cook 4-5 minutes or until noodles are soft and vegetables are crisp-tender.
10. Drain noodles and vegetables reserving 2-3 cups noodle-cooking water in a large measuring cup.
11. Rinse noodles and egetables under running water to remove excesss starch; return to empty pot.
12. Combine cashew butter, juice of remaining lime, 2 T honey, 1 tsp chili garlic sauce, and 1 T ginger; whisk until blended.
13. Add sauce to drained vegetables and noodle in pot.
14. Thin sauce with somee of the reserved noodle-cooking water (about 2 cups).
15. until sauce reaches desired consistency: season with salt.
16. Heat 1 T oil in large sauté pan over high heat; remove scallops from marinade -- discard marinade.
17. Pat scallops dry with paper towels.
18. Sear scallops until browned on one side -- flip scallops until browned on other side.
19. Divide noodle mixture among 4 plates.
20. Top each with 3 scallops.
21. Garnish each serving with cilantro and roasted cashew halves.