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Thai Glass Noodle Salad (Yum Woon Sen)

Recipe by Connie Veneracion
Cilantro figures prominently in this recipe. The roots go into the spice base of the dressing; the stems and leaves are used as salad greens.
Make sure you use Thai basil and not sweet basil.
Sausage meat, browned in its own fat, is used here in lieu of the usual plain ground pork. The shrimps are added to the meat to allow them to soak up the flavors of the rendered fat.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4 people
Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 120 grams glass noodles

Dressing

  • 1 large stalk lemongrass (or two small stalks) white part only with the fibrous outer layers peeled off and discarded
  • 2 Thai chilies (we used one red and one green)
  • 2 half-inch pieces kaffir lime zest
  • 1 pair kaffir lime leaves ribs removed and discarded
  • 3 slices galangal if using dried, pre-soak in hot water until softened
  • 2 bunches cilantro roots
  • 2 tablespoons palm sugar
  • ¼ cup lime juice (kaffir limes were used here)
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce

Salad

  • 150 grams sausages (see notes after the recipe)
  • 200 grams shelled and deveined shrimps
  • 2 shallots peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 tomatoes halved and cut into thin wedges
  • 1 generous handful Thai basil
  • 1 handful cilantro stems and leaves, torn into smaller pieces

Garnish

  • ¼ cup salted peanuts roughly chopped

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.

Make the dressing

  • While the noodles soak, place the lemongrass, chilies, kaffir lime zest and leaves, galangal, cilantro roots and palm sugar in a mortar.
  • Use a pestle to grind them as finely as you can.
  • Pour in the lime juice and fish sauce, and mix thoroughly.
  • Leave the dressing to steep.

Cook the sausage meat and shrimps

  • Discard the casings of the sausages and crumble the meat into a frying pan.
  • Cook the sausage meat until lightly browned.
  • Add the shrimps and cook, tossing often, until both sausage meat and shrimps are cooked through.

Cook the glass noodles

  • In a pot boil about four cups of water.
  • Drain the noodles and dump into the boiling water. Cook for two minutes.
  • Drain the noodles and dump into a mixing bowl.

Toss the salad

  • Strain the dressing.
  • Add the sausage meat and shrimps to the noodles.
  • Pour in half of the dressing and toss thoroughly.
  • Add the sliced shallots and tomatoes.
  • Pour in the rest of the dressing and toss.
  • Add the Thai basil and cilantro, and toss again.
  • Transfer the salad into a serving bowl.
  • Sprinkle with more chili slices, if you want added heat.
  • Ladle into bowls and sprinkle in salted peanuts before serving.

Notes

If you can get Thai sausages, the better. Otherwise, use the best spicy and garlicky sausage meat that you can find.
Updated from a recipe published in May 21, 2019
Keyword Noodles, Salad, Spicy