Skip to main content

A Cold Banna Shrimp and Noodle Dish is Perfect for Hot Weather

Just because summer is almost over doesn’t mean that it still isn’t hot as hell outside. The thought of spending a long time in front of a heat-spewing cooking element is not yet appealing (though, we will heartily welcome it come December when it never seems the heat in our apartments actually works).

Instead, we still want to spend time outside, drinking beer and generally enjoying life. With great beer comes great responsibility to eat, though, so if you’re planning on doing the whole day-drinking thing, it’s good to be prepared.

Recommended Videos

That’s when we came across this shrimp and noodle dish served cold. While it does take some cooking, you’ll only be spending about 20 minutes prepping, which can easily be done before the heat of the day starts, leaving you plenty of time to do the above.

This recipe comes to us from chef Simone Tong of Little Tong in New York City. The restaurant specializes in dishes with mixian noodles, a type of rice noodle that hails from the Yunnan province in China. The noodles are unique due to a fermentation process that happens during the production.

(Note: 1 gram is equal to .03 oz, making 10 g equal to .35 oz, so you’ll just need to multiply from there.)

Banna Shrimp Recipe

Banna Shrimp Cold Noodle Recipe Little Tong
Little Tong

Ingredients:

  • Shrimp*
  • 1 cup banna sauce**
  • 2 tbsp green herb sauce***
  • 1 tsp pickled Serrano peppers
  • Rice noodles****
  • Handful of fried shallots
  • Mint leaves
  • Pinch of smoked salt

Method:

  1. To plate, place rice noodles in a bowl.
  2. Add in shrimp, 1 cup of banna sauce, 2 tablespoons of green herb sauce, a sprinkle of fried shallots, several mint leaves, a teaspoon of pickled Serrano peppers, and a pinch of smoked salt.

Shrimp*

Ingredients:

  • 65 g (around 2.3 oz) shrimp, deveined and peeled
  • Lemon zest
  • Lime zest

Method:

  1. Place in 5 percent salt brine for 5 minutes.
  2. Boil water and drop shrimp in for 1 minute until just cooked.
  3. Dress shrimp with lime and lemon zest.

Banna Sauce**

(Yields 20 portions)

Ingredients:

  • 3 whole Spanish onions, diced large
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 4000 g water
  • 500 g lemongrass
  • 430 g smoked tomato paste (smoked with alder wood chips)
  • 100 g crab paste
  • 100 g garlic oil (house made)
  • 70 g fresh ginger
  • 50 g garlic
  • 30 g fish sauce (Red Boat brand preferred)
  • 30 g salt
  • 20 g sugar
  • 5 g bonito flake

Method:

  1. Warm oil in pan.
  2. Sauté all ingredients (except water) till fragrant.
  3. Add seasoning (salt and sugar),and keep stirring to prevent burning.
  4. After 10 minutes, add water, bring to boil, and reduce to simmer for another 10 minutes.
  5. Cool for 5 minutes then blend it in blender (like a Vitaprep). Strain through a fine mesh strainer or chinois. Serve cold.

Green Herb Sauce***

Ingredients:

  • 1 13 oz can of coconut milk
  • 8 g of mint leaves
  • 8 g of Thai basil
  • 8 g of cilantro
  • 4 g of salt
  • 3 g of sugar
  • Juice of 1 lemon

Method:

  1. Bring coconut milk to boil.
  2. Add in all the herbs and simmer for 2 minutes.
  3. Add in salt and sugar.
  4. Blend in a blender (like a Vitaprep) with lemon juice.
  5. Chill and serve cold.

Rice Noodles****

Ingredients:

  • 1 package rice noodles (mixian noodles, ideally, and fresh if possible)

Method:

  1. Boil water.
  2. Drop noodles into the water and stir for 10 seconds.
  3. Boil for 7 minutes.
  4. Strain and rinse with cold water.
Sam Slaughter
Sam Slaughter was the Food and Drink Editor for The Manual. Born and raised in New Jersey, he’s called the South home for…
This historic US winery can legally call its wine champagne
Dive into the 150-year old history of this unique south jersey spot
Renault Winery

I lived in South Jersey for most of my life, yet I was completely unaware that such a popular winery with a rich history was right here in my backyard. The Renault Winery's story dates back nearly 156 years, when Louis Nicholas Renault left his hometown in France to set sail for California and later settled in Egg Harbor City, New Jersey. Since then, the winery has changed hands a few times but still retains one unique trait that sets it apart from other wineries.

While most wineries in the U.S. are not allowed to call their sparkling wine champagne, Renault Winery has a notable historical exception. This historical privilege dates back to when Louis Renault requested a special permit from French authorities in the 1870s that allowed his wines to be labeled as champagne. Since the winery is grandfathered in, it can still safely call its blueberry sparkling wine "Blueberry Champagne", unlike other companies in the U.S. that must refer to it as a sparkling wine. Today, visitors can take a walking tour of Renault Winery and experience a wine tasting, diving into the history of this special winery.

Read more
Aquavit: the centuries-old spirit that’s more than just “black death”
What exaclty is aquavit?
Alcohol tasting: Aquavit, Bitter orange snaps, Bask, Arrack punsch

If you’ve ever been to Iceland, there’s a chance a local tour guide has offered you a chance to partake in a less-than-appealing local rite of passage. I’m talking about eating fermented shark followed by a shot of Brennivin. I, like many travelers to Iceland, have taken part in this life-changing experience. I can tell you that the shark is the biggest acquired taste I’ve ever been a part of.

The Brennivin, on the other hand, was actually memorable in a good way. Even though it’s referred to as “black death,” this strong Icelandic spirit is a neutral spirit made from potatoes. It gets its unique flavor from the use of caraway seeds. It’s the country’s main type of Aquavit and it's the national drink. But it’s definitely not the only country that makes this unique spirit. You might be wondering what Aquavit is.

Read more
Oskar Blues dresses up its beer in denim for the summer
A timeless look for some classic ales
Dale's Denim Pale.

Colorado brewery Oskar Blues is bringing back a limited-time favorite with the return of the Denim Dale's line. The release features a couple of flagship beers treated to cans inspired by your favorite pair of jeans. The light summer beers are available now through Labor Day Weekend.

"Last year’s denim beer case was a statement of rebellious independence – and people got it. This year, we wanted to take it even further,” says Aaron Baker, Oskar Blues brand director. “So we wrapped the can itself in denim. It’s a celebration of individuality, utility, and American grit – all things denim and Dale’s share at their core. Whether you’re cracking one open at a dive bar or tossing it in your cooler for a weekend outside, this is a beer that wears its character on its sleeve – or in this case, its can.”

Read more