Peppered Shrimp with Noodles Recipe

Make the peppered shrimp: Pat shrimp dry. Place shrimp, half the crushed peppercorns, and half of the salt in a bowl. Toss to coat shrimp.

Heat vegetable oil in a wok or a large pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and the rest of the peppercorns and salt; stir-fry for 1 minute.

Add shrimp and stir-fry until opaque, about 3 to 5 minutes. Do not overcook.

Place shrimp and lemon wedges on a serving plate. Set aside.

Make the sesame noodles: Boil noodles in a large pot of water for about 5 minutes (they should still be a bit chewy). Drain, rinse with cold water, then drain again. Toss noodles with some sesame oil to keep them from sticking to each other.

Whisk together 2 tablespoons sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, peanut butter, sugar, ginger, garlic, and chili-garlic paste in a bowl. Taste then adjust seasoning. It should be a balance of sweet, spicy, and salty, with a bit of zing from the ginger.

Pour sauce over noodles and toss. Place noodles and cucumber slices on the plate alongside the shrimp. Top noodles with peanuts and cilantro, if desired.