Thai Glass Noodle Salad or Yum Woon Sen...

Summer has only one month left. If you are like me it has gone by much too swiftly, I wish I could stop time and just get a chance to catch up. The Northwest has had wonderful weather, sunny days and cool evenings. It has been wonderful to be outside all day and into the evening..

It is perfect for Thailand's Yum Woon Sen or Glass Noodle Salad...It is flavorful, and versatile. You can literally make it just how you and your family like it. Traditionally it is made with shrimp and fresh ground pork, and fresh vegetables...it always has cilantro and basil...you can make it with any shellfish, I think it would be very decadent to make it with lobster. Fresh cucumber would be a great addition, it can be served warm or cold...On the streets of Thailand it never has tomatoes, this is the Americanized version..I think the color is great.

Yum Woon Sen

Sauce:
juice of one lime
3 large cloves of garlic
5 teaspoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce (can use gluten free)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon peanut oil
3 quarter sized pieces of fresh peeled ginger
hand full of chopped cilantro
1-3 small Thai red chili's...1 for mild-2 for medium-3 for hot heat
1/4 cup of agave (optional) gives it a little sweetness, can add brown sugar or honey

Salad
3 cups cooked bean thread noodles
1 pound of 31-40 shrimp cooked
1 cup of green beans
1/2 cup of shredded carrots
1/2 cup of shredded white radish
1/2 cup of green onions chopped
1/2 cup of cilantro chopped
1/2 cup of basil chopped
1 cup of pea pods
1 cup of large chunks fresh tomato
1/2 cup of chopped peanuts or cashews
sprinkle of fried garlic (optional)
1 head of butter lettuce

Place all sauce ingredients in blender and blend until smooth...taste and adjust, if you need to

...should be very flavorful. Set aside

then boil your noodles, a little goes a long way. The noodles are bean thread noodles. You can soak them in hot water or boil gently until soft...

Now prep your vegetables for the salad...I used fresh from the garden, scallions, cilantro, basil, beans, peapods, carrots, white radish, and chopped tomatoes....the jar in the front is fried garlic....they sell it in the Asian store, much like canned fried onions that you use on top of the green bean casserole at Thanksgiving, but garlic...very handy to have around...

drain your cooked noodles and rinse with cold water....

Place in too small of bowl and then switch to a much bigger bowl....you will need room for all the vegetables and sauce....

mix all of the sauce, vegetables, and shrimp together,,,place in the fridge for at least an hour...the flavors will meld and absorb into the noodles...

put butter lettuce or shredded cabbage or chopped romaine on a platter,,,

 

and pile all you salad on top, sprinkle the chopped garlic and chopped peanuts on top...

and serve, makes a wonderful main course for hot summer days!!!

Enjoy!

Cheers to Happy  !!