Wednesday, March 3, 2010

THAI GLASS NOODLE SALAD


Glass noodles ~ cellophane noodles ~ mung bean threads ~ su'on ~ tunghoon ~ they're all one and the same. Slippery glass threads that are near impossible to scoop up if they were put into a soup. It's not to be confused with rice noodles.

It's complete transparency and its feel as it slips through your lips, slides over your tongue and slithers down your throat makes it a very unique noodle. 

It is an ingredient in a lovely soup with dried or fresh shrimps  that I used to eat as a child. A soup that's made up of bean curd skin, loofah, wooden ear fungus, golden needles and finally the glass noodles. Delicious. It was a favourite vegetable soup. But it was always the glass noodles that attracted and fascinated me more than anything else. It kept me busy.


But the Thais have made it the main ingredient in a light and lovely salad. Less slithery because it is not in a soup but is a moist salad and very delicious because it is mixed with a spicy, salty, sour and sweet dressing made of fish sauce, lime juice, bird chillies and brown sugar with the addition of some prawns, dried and fresh, and minced chicken. MMMM

My son and I had it for lunch today. It was a healthy lunch. Unfortunately I spoiled the 'healthy' part by gorging on some pineapple tarts I had baked right after. And as if I hadn't sinned enough.....2 hours after that I had a bowl of ice cream. But I redeemed myself by having an orange after.

Shall I'll try again tomorrow?


I have to tell you that it tasted even better after I had some later in the evening after the noodles had absorbed all the flavours of the dressing. Double MMMMMMMM

The recipe ~ the measurements are approximate since I had thrown everything in before remembering to measure them.....

100 gm dried glass noodles
100-150 gm minced chicken
5-6 pieces of medium prawns, shelled and cleaned, left whole season with little salt and pepper
1 cup of chopped spring onions
1/4 cup of chopped coriander
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 T dried shrimps, fried to a crisp and pounded finely (optional but more flavourful if included)

The 
Dressing ~

3 T fish sauce
1 T brown sugar
3-4 bird chillies or use large chillies if you prefer less heat
1-2 T lime juice

Soak the glass noodles in cold water to soften for about 10 minutes. Then drain placing the noodles back into the bowl. Pour just boiled water into the bowl of noodles and let stand for just 3-4 seconds and then drain thoroughly running cold water through to rid it of the heat. Keep aside.

Cook the minced chicken in a frying pan using only 1/2 tablespoon of cooking oil. Season with very little salt and pepper. Scoop out to a bowl. Saute the prawns in the same pan. Add a little oil of too dry. Don't use to much salt because the fish sauce is very salty.

Place the fish sauce and the brown sugar in a small pot and cook to a syrup. 

Pound the chillies or chop them. Then mix the rest of the dressing ingredients to the fish sauce syrup. Taste and adjust for sweetness and tartness. 

Combine the noodles, chopped spring onions, coriander sliced onions, cooked minced chicken fresh prawns and dried shrimps in a medium bowl. Pour the dressing over and mix well. Adjust for saltiness by adding salt or a few dashes of fish sauce. Serve. 





53 comments:

3 hungry tummies said...

This is our favourite at the tummies! What a nice lunch to have with your son? So he is loving Thai food too?

Dominique said...

It's exactly the salad I'd like for lunch... I'm so hungry!

Sanjana said...

I'm definetly making a veggie version of this for dinner tonight, Zurin! The way you described it has sold me completely. It sounds absoloutely delicious!

Ju (The Little Teochew) said...

Love glass noodles! I just bought some. Always have them stocked in my larder. :) As a salad? That's a great idea! Oh Zurin, you can afford to indulge lah ... you're sooooo slim!!! :)

Angie's Recipes said...

I like glass noodles! However, I prefer to stir-fry them with lots of veggies, fungus, and seafood...or chicken.
Your salad version is definitely great for the hotter days!

La Table De Nana said...

We have a witness..You are sooo slim..:) Ju says you can splurge and I believe her:) The salad looks so fresh..I have some noodles..I never knew all their aliases..It looks so good Zurin.

Allie and Pattie said...

I think I must try this- it looks so appetizing!
xoxo Pattie

tasteofbeirut said...

Thanks Zurin for providing a simple and lovely salad recipe! I need to use up some tofu so I think I will add it to this along with the shrimp and all the rest and feed it to my son next time he comes to visit!

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

I also like this kind of simple and healthy salad, yummy.

pam said...

Mmmm..Thai salads are the best, well maybe tied with Vietnamese.

ICook4Fun said...

I normally used this noodles for soup or stir-fry. Never try making salad. This dish will be great for summer.

Divina Pe said...

This is perfect for the summer weather here. I love noodles and this one is really refreshing.

fimere said...

une bonne salade rafraichissante pleins de saveurs j'aime beaucoup
bonne soirée

Linda said...

Oh does this look delicious...one of my favorite things...I adore these noodles...i will have to try this really soon. My son will be home for Spring Break on Friday, perhaps then...
I would love some of this right now!
Beautiful Zu!

Pete said...

Mmmm, spicy and sour, my favourite flavours!

Mary Bergfeld said...

This really looks scrumptious. The salad looks fresh and most appealing.

Federica Simoni said...

questa ricetta deve essere buonissima!! un bellissimo piatto colorato e invitante!!un abbraccio!! ciaoooooooooooooooooooo!

Anonymous said...

This is my favourite type of Thai salad! I think you have just inspired me to make this for dinner tonight.

Tasty Trix said...

I would have a salad like this for lunch or dinner - so refreshing and fun and delicious.

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

I loved these glass noodles especially growing up. I used to et them so fast that I'd almost choke on them if you know what I mean-those noodles are hard to eat fast but I couldn't help it! Delicious looking recipe Zurin! :D

MaryMoh said...

I love this....very appetising. I think it's very good for those who want to lose weight :D

Anh said...

This is such a healthy and refreshing dish!

Through My Kitchen Window said...

Your noodle salad really looks like a bowl of satisfaction. So vibrant and healthy looking. What? You sinned. Oooh unforgivable. Hehe. Of course it's okay to have little indulgences - isn't that what life is all about. When you can make such beautiful, nutritious food like this, it all balances out in the end. Moderation is the key and I think you are one lady with your taste buds firmly on the pulse.

chow and chatter said...

wow looks yummy, can't get enough of Thai food

Zurin said...

Hi Everyone...I cant tell u how happy I am to see you...love you all ~ xoxo~Zurin (^_^)

Shirley @ Kokken69 said...

Glass noodle is one of my favourite food and I know the Thais use it quite alot too... I just recall seeing a claypot glass noodle prawn dish... I bet that would taste really good too espeically after the noodles soaks up all the gravy...

Kathleen said...

That looks so delicious and fresh...and healthy!

Faida said...

Oh..How I wished I didnt read your posting during this lunch time. Even makes me hungrier. Couldnt write much. Got to look for this dish somewhere out there.
Thank for the idea of whats for lunch today. mmmm.....

WendyinKK said...

yummy yummy!!!

Nice and perfect to a hot weather like now. When it's hot, we feel more bloated, therefore something tangy will be so appetizing.

ann low said...

WOW! Beautiful presentation and salad is definitely good for hot weather.

Cathy said...

I know I will love this salad with all its wonderful flavors. I won't be able to resist adding a few chopped peanuts on top. Thanks for this recipe, Zurin. I can't wait to try it.

Stella said...

This looks like a delicious lunch, and glass noodles are so good. Fun too!

Kitchen Butterfly said...

Shrimps. Coriander. Chillies. Thai.....My heaven.......So desperately wanted to make noodles and shrimps for dinner today but.....Lovely Zurin!

Ninette said...

We Filipinos call this noodle sotanghon. I love them! Your light, refreshing salad looks great.

Sarah said...

Oh, this looks yummy. I'll have mine with shrimp, please. Thanks!

La Cuisine d'Helene said...

This is such a beautiful salad. I love the big shrimps.

Nadia said...

who mummy, rab? sedapnyaaaaaaaaaaaa..esp reading the recipe for the dressing..part chilli tu i can feel the salivaru glands cranking up LOL

petite nyonya said...

Thai salads are the most appetizing..any type of it. I agree on the fish sauce. Discovered by mistake! Once i made Thai curry and put too much fish sauce and I spent the whole cooking time trying to 'rectify' the over-saltiness of my curry!

Pei-Lin said...

Aiya ... Zu, you're making me drool late at night ... I love any spicy and tangy ... like Thai & Nyonya cuisines! Sedapnya your Thai glass noodle salad! I'll definitely make some ...

Btw, great photography! Vivid description!

Hungryc said...

Your salad looks yummy...and I'd have had more than one helping. The sweet-sour combination always whets my appetite and makes me want to eat a lot...so an ice cream and an orange later sounds really restrained to me :-)

pigpigscorner said...

This looks really refreshing! Something simple and tasty!

Barbara said...

I've always wanted to make something with those glass noodles. They are so enticing! This salad is the answer. Just the right amount of heat, too. Love lunches like this!

Su-yin said...

You know what, this is one of my favourite Thai salads. I order it all the time at my local Thai place. :P

Your version looks lovely - so refreshing!

Memória said...

Those noodles are beautiful. Wow. The entire dish looks fantastic. Gorgeous photography.

pierre said...

hi zurin I love these noodles . I think I had some in a soup once !PIerre from paris

Mrs Multitasker said...

Definitely one of my favorite Thai dishes! YUM. Yours looks just right =)

Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets said...

This sounds so flavorful and refreshing. I love Thai food! I don't think I've tried it before because of the chicken, but now that you've given us the recipe I can simply substitute something else. Yum!

WendyinKK said...

I've got an award for u on my blog :)
Pls come to collect it.

Kate at Serendipity said...

Zurin, this looks wonderful. I didn't know that glass noodles were not the same as rice noodles. I'll have to find some now. We went to Brussels yesterday and I found an Asian food shop that had Yuzu paste. I'm in heaven! Now I have to go back to find glass noodles.

I have a question, though: WOODEN EAR FUNGUS??

Trissa said...

I love this rendition of a Thai salad - it sounds so refreshing and healthy!

Zurin said...

Tq ladies for dropping by...so sweet..(^_^)

Kate..LOL.... I know it sounds gross...it is also called cloud ear fungus..a kind of mushroom that grows on teh bark of trees, picked and then dried and sold in its dried form.

It needs to be soaked b4 cooking and has a crunchy, rubbery texture, is dark brownish in colour and somewhat translucent and is sort of ear shaped or cloud shaped..like a large frill or ruffle. m sure u can find it in asian grocery shops.

I like the crunchy texture although its quite tasteless.(^^)

Yuzu paste...now thats new to me!?

Daniela said...

E' quasi l'ora di cena e questi spaghetti sono davvero invitanti. Buona serata Daniela

Yen@Foodforfour said...

Hi Zurin, you have a beautiful blog. Your food looks so delicious.
I made a similar thai glass salad couple of weeks ago and glass noodles is so refreshing as a salad!

http://foodforfour.com/2010/01/the-cookbook-challenge-week-10/

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