Yam Woon Sen

Thai Vermicelli Noodle Salad with Chicken and Prawns

(Yam wún-sên ยำยำวุ้นเส้น)

Ingredients:

100 g. Vermicelli (glass) noodles (wún-sên ยำวุ้นเส้น)

1 Tablespoon olive oil (nám-man-má~gɔ̀ɔk น้ำมันมะกอก)

1 Chicken breast (gài  ไก่)

4 Tablespoons lime juice (nám má~naao

น้ำมะนาว)

3 Tablespoons fish sauce (nám-bplaa น้ำปลา)

1 Tablespoon palm sugar (nám-dtaan น้ำตาล)

4 Small green chillies (prík kîi nǔu พริกขี้หนู), finely chopped

1/2 Medium white onions (hǔua-hɔ̌ɔm หัวหอม), sliced thin

1/2 Cup chopped coriander (pàk-chii ผักชี)

1/4 Cup chopped shallots (dtôn-hɔ̌ɔm ต้นหอม)

1 lettuce (pàk-gàat ผักกาด)  shredded

1 pkt cherry tomatoes (má~kʉ̌ʉa-têet มะเขือเทศ)  sliced in halves

5 Pickled garlic cloves (grà~tiiam dɔɔng กระเทียมดอง) chopped

200g Small cooked prawns (gûng กุ้ง)

2 Tablespoons crisp-fried Thai shallots (hɔ̌ɔm-dɛɛng หอมแดง)

Black pepper (prík-tai-dam

พริกไทยดำ) to taste

Method:

Place the noodles in a bowl and cover with warm water and soak until soft (about 15 minutes). Drain  and put into a large pot of boiling water. Reduce to medium heat; cook until noodles are plump and glass like (3 to 5 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water; drain again. Cut into 3 or 4 inch lengths with scissors. Chill.

Pour oil into a hot wok. Add chicken; sauté until white. Break into small pieces, season  and place in fridge.

Using a mortar and pestle, pound together chili, lime juice, nam pla, and sugar.  Mix with shallots and coriander; pour over noodles and mix thoroughly. Add chicken, prawns, tomatoes. lettuce, shallots, onion, and pickled garlic and mix well.

Sprinkle with the crisp fried Thai shallots.

Serves 4 to 6.

Note: Crisp fried Thai shallots can be bought in Asian grocery stores as can crisp fried garlic. If unavailable fry some sliced Thai shallots in a little oil until brown and crisp.