Thai-style Glass Noodle Salad
Traditionally a meatless dish, crumble sausage was added in this version to satisfy the carnivores in the family.
Ingredients
- 90 grams glass (cellophane) noodles
- 2 shallots
- 2 tomatoes
- 200 grams sausages (I used garlicky but feel free to go with your preference)
For the dressing
- juice of one lime or lemon or the juice of 3 to 4 kalamansi
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce to taste
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar or to taste
- 1 bird’s eye chili finely sliced
To garnish
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- ⅓ cup toasted cashew nuts preferably salted
- 1 handful whole Thai basil leaves
Instructions
- Place the glass noodles in a bowl and pour in hot water to cover the noodles completely. Leave to soak for about 20 minutes.
- Peel the shallots and thinly slice.
- Halve the tomatoes, scoop out the seeds and discard. Thinly slice the tomato halves.
- Skin the sausages and crumble the meat.
- Place a frying pan over medium-low heat and spread the sausage meat on the bottom. Leave to fry slowly until fat has been rendered.
- Turn up the heat to medium and cook the sausage meat in the rendered fat until lightly browned and crisp.
- Strain the sausage meat.
- Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing. Taste and adjust the balance of flavors to suit your palate.
- Using kitchen shears, cut the softened noodles into two-inch lengths. Drain well.
- Place the drained noodles in a bowl. Add the shallots, tomatoes and half of the basil and cashew nuts. Drizzle in half of the dressing. Toss well. Taste and add more dressing, as needed.
- Transfer the noodle mixture on a plate. Spread the sausage meat on top. Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the sausage meat. Garnish with the remaining cashew nuts and basil.
