Spicy Glass Noodle Salad: Yum Woon Sen

New Year has rolled around and I almost didn't notice it. 2009 was a wonderful year and I'm looking forward to another great year to come. An exciting beginning for us this year, we are expanding our store to double to size. We are adding ice cream up to 12 flavors a day, a tea house and yummy baked goods both from Thailand and around the world.

To celebrate the New Year, I thought I would post this recipe for a favorite dish of mine. This is the only dish that makes me dream about at night. I get so excited to come home if there is some leftover in my fridge. In Chinese tradition, noodles are left the length that they come. The long noodles represent long and prosperous lives. When you eat the noodles, you are supposed to eat the whole length of it without cutting.

The best way to prepare the noodles for this dish is to boil them without soaking. As soon as the noodles are completely soft, drain them and run them under cold water to stop the cooking process. I always like to add ground shrimp to this dish. Shrimp adds so much flavor to the dish. You can use either chicken or pork but I prefer pork.

Here is the recipe for this delicious salad and may you all have a prosperous New Year.

Bean Thread Noodle Salad

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/8 pound of shrimp, minced (substitute w/ soy bean protein and mushrooms for vegetarian option)

1/8 pound of pork, minced (substitute w/ soy bean protein and mushrooms for vegetarian option)

1 tbsp soy sauce or fish sauce

1/4 cup water

2 cups of bean thread noodles, boiled and drained

Handful coriander, chopped

2 shallots, sliced

Handful green onions

Pinch of salt

Dressing

Pinch of salt

2 tbsp chopped Thai chilies

1/4 tbsp white sugar

1/4 tablespoon palm sugar

4 tbsp lime juice

3 tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce and fermented soy bean paste for vegetarian option)

Heat oil in a medium sauté pan, add garlic, and fry until fragrant. Add minced pork and shrimp and stir occasionally until cooked, about 2 minutes. Add water and soy sauce to taste. Mix all ingredients and the cooked meat in a mixing bowl. Make dressing by pounding all the ingredients in pestle and mortar or put them in a food chopper/processor. Pour dressing on top of the mixture and mix well. (I prefer to use my hand to mix it) Taste and add more dressing if desired.