Seared Scallop with Rice Noodles in Garlic Sauce

  • 340 grams of scallops (10-12 pieces)
  • 1/3 tsp of salt
  • 1/3 tsp of black pepper
  • 150 grams of dried rice vermicelli noodles
  • 1 tbsp of cooking oil
  • 3 tbsp of butter
  • 1/4 cup of finely diced garlic
  • 2-3 pieces of Thai bird eye chilies (finely diced, optional)
  • 1 tbsp of fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp of oyster sauce
  • 1/4 cup of water
  • 2-3 tbsp of diced cilantro
  • 1/2 tbsp of XO sauce
  1. Marinade the scallops with salt and pepper. Set it aside.
  2. Bring a pot of water and boil the rice noodles for 2-5 minutes depending on the thickness. Do not cook it all the way through because we will cook it further later. Remove the noodles from the water and set them aside.
  3. Turn the heat to high and heat a frying pan until smoking hot. Add oil, and swirl it around so it covers the bottom. Sear the scallops on high heat for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. My scallop was the jumbo size, you may need to adjust the searing time based on the size of your scallop.
  4. Turn off the heat. Remove the scallops from the pan.
  5. Let the pan cool for a minute then add 3 tbsp of butter along with 1/2 of the diced garlic. Stir over medium-low heat for a few minutes or until the garlic is lightly golden.
  6. Quickly add the rest of the diced garlic and the diced Thai bird eye chilies. Give it a quick stir.
  7. Add the cooked rice noodles along with 1/4 cup of water. Season it with 1 tbsp of fish sauce, 1 tbsp of oyster sauce. Use a pair of tongs to fluff the noodles for a couple of minutes or until the noodles are fully cooked through.
  8. Turn off the heat. Add diced cilantro and mix well.
  9. Serve the seared scallops on top of the noodles. Optionally, garnish the scallops with a touch of XO sauce.