Thai Glass Noodle Salad (Print Version)

# Ingredients:

→ Main Components

01 - 80g glass noodles
02 - 100g minced chicken (or protein of choice)
03 - 4-5 prawns, peeled and deveined
04 - 1 small squid, cleaned and sliced into rings
05 - 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
06 - 1-2 stalks cilantro or coriander, roughly chopped
07 - Fish sauce for cooking protein

→ For the Sauce

08 - 1 tbsp dried shrimps, soaked in hot water until soft
09 - 1 tbsp fish sauce
10 - 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
11 - 1 tbsp palm sugar
12 - 2 cloves garlic, peeled
13 - 1-2 Thai bird's eye chilies (adjust to your spice preference)
14 - 1-2 cilantro or coriander roots, cleaned (optional)

# Instructions:

01 - Start by soaking the dried shrimps in hot water for about 5 minutes until they become soft and pliable. Then combine the soaked shrimps, fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, garlic, chilies, and coriander roots (if using) in a food processor or pestle and mortar. Grind everything together until you get a rough, fragrant paste. Set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
02 - Fill a 24cm frying pan with about 300ml of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the minced chicken and a splash of fish sauce. Stir continuously to break up any clumps, cooking until the meat is no longer pink (about 2-3 minutes). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked chicken to a mixing bowl, leaving the cooking water in the pan.
03 - Using the same cooking water, add the prawns and squid. Cook just until the prawns turn pink and the squid becomes opaque and slightly firm (about 1-2 minutes). Be careful not to overcook the seafood as it can become rubbery. Once done, transfer to the same mixing bowl with the chicken.
04 - Add the glass noodles to the same cooking water and loosen them with a spatula. The noodles will absorb most of the water and turn clear as they cook. This should only take 2-3 minutes depending on your preferred level of doneness. Once cooked, drain and add to the mixing bowl with the proteins.
05 - Pour the prepared sauce over the noodles and proteins in the mixing bowl. Begin to toss everything together to coat evenly. When partially mixed, add the sliced red onions and chopped cilantro, then continue tossing until all ingredients are well incorporated and evenly distributed. The heat from the freshly cooked noodles and proteins will slightly soften the onions while maintaining their crunch.
06 - Transfer the yum woon sen to a serving plate or individual bowls. Garnish with additional cilantro leaves if desired. This dish is best enjoyed immediately while still warm, though it's also delicious at room temperature.

# Notes:

01 - This refreshing Thai glass noodle salad balances sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors in one vibrant dish.
02 - For an authentic experience, don't skip the dried shrimps - they add a distinctive umami flavor that's essential to the dish.
03 - The cooking liquid becomes infused with flavors from the proteins, which then gets absorbed by the noodles for extra taste.
04 - You can adjust the spice level by increasing or decreasing the amount of Thai bird's eye chilies.

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