Yam Woon Sen

Yam Woon Sen is a lively Thai salad built on silky glass noodles tangled with prawns, minced pork, and a punchy lime-fish sauce dressing. Sold at every Thai market stall, it is prized equally as a quick weekday lunch and a vibrant dish to bring to a shared table — it travels well and tastes even better at room temperature.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 150g (5 oz) glass noodles (mung bean vermicelli), soaked in cold water 15 minutes
• 200g (7 oz) medium prawns, peeled and deveined
• 150g (5 oz) minced pork
• 3 shallots, thinly sliced
• 3 stalks celery with leaves, sliced diagonally
• 2 spring onions, sliced
• Large handful fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves
• 2 tbsp (30ml) dried shrimp (optional)

Dressing:

• 3 tbsp (45ml) lime juice (about 2 limes)
• 2½ tbsp (37ml) fish sauce
• 1–2 tbsp (15–30g) palm sugar or white sugar
• 3–5 fresh bird's eye chillies, sliced (adjust to taste)

Instructions

1. Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chillies until sugar dissolves. Set aside.
2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Poach prawns 2 minutes until pink; remove. Cook minced pork in the same water, breaking apart, 3 minutes; drain both.
3. Drain the soaked noodles and add to the boiling water for 1 minute until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water; cut into 10cm (4 in) lengths with scissors.
4. Combine noodles, prawns, pork, shallots, celery, spring onions, and dried shrimp (if using) in a large bowl. Pour dressing over and toss well.
5. Taste — it should be sour, salty, and lightly sweet with clean heat. Pile onto a serving plate and top generously with coriander.

Cook's Notes: The salad holds at room temperature for up to 2 hours, making it ideal for packed lunches and potlucks. Add a handful of roasted peanuts for crunch. For a vegetarian version, replace fish sauce with light soy sauce and omit the pork and dried shrimp.