Hello Everyone! Time sure flies by quickly as it’s already the third week of Seafood Month! I have a combination of squid and prawns for you guys tonight. Together, they make up a yummy Thai appetiser, bursting with fresh flavours and a kick of spice. The first time I had this dish was at my Aunt’s Thai restaurant here in Brunei. It was really spicy; I mean, I have quite a high tolerance when it comes to spicy, but even this was beyond my limit. My mouth was on fire! My Aunt also added white fungus in the dish she served which I don’t think is traditionally added; my Mom said she added it to bulk up the dish.

Yum Woon Sen (ยำวุ้นเส้น), or glass noodle salad, is a popular dish in both inside and outside of Thailand. There are many variations to this dish alone, and the one that I will be covering on my blog tonight is considered to be a much more “dressed-up” version than others. You can adjust your Yum Woon Sen to have more or less ingredients, depending on what floats your boat. If you want a lighter version of this dish, you can eliminate the seafood and the meat, and focus on bulking up your glass noodle salad with lots of veggies, herb, and crushed roasted peanuts.

It is also a recommended dish for pot lucks or parties as it stays delicious at room temperature for a few hours, and you can prepare all the ingredients ahead of time, mixing the dressing in at the last minute.

PREP TIME 10 MINS | COOKING TIME 10-12 MINS | SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

• 300g medium-sized prawns, shelled and deveined
• 250g glass noodles, uncooked
• 50g minced pork (you can use minced chicken or leave this out completely)
• 2-3 red bird’s eye chillies, sliced
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1-2 large squids, cleaned
• 1 medium-sized red onion, sliced
• 1-2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp chicken stock powder
• Thai basil leaves (or green spring onions)

METHOD

1. Add in the chillies, onions, and thai basil leaves in a large mixing bowl.
2. Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the chicken stock power in. Cook the minced pork, about 3-4 minutes. Drain and then set the minced pork aside in the large mixing bowl together with the onion mixture.
3. In the same cooking liquid, cook the prawns, about 2 minutes, and then the squids for about 30 seconds. Then add to the mixing bowl.
4. Cook the glass noodles in the same liquid for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Drain and add to the mixing bowl.
5. Toss well and add in the fish sauce and lime juice. Taste and adjust the quantities of the fish sauce and lime juice to your liking. Add some of the leftover cooking stock liquid if the glass noodles are looking too dry.
6. Garnish with some more basil leaves and serve immediately. Enjoy!

BON APPÉTIT

– Ally xx