Yum Woon Sen Recipe

Soak noodles

Place glass noodles in a large bowl and cover with warm (not boiling) water. Soak for 8–10 minutes until just softened but still slightly firm. Drain and rinse under cold water; cut into shorter lengths (about 10–12 cm) with kitchen scissors if desired. Set aside.

Cook shrimp

Bring a small pot of water to a gentle boil. Add shrimp and cook 1–2 minutes until they turn pink and are just cooked through. Immediately transfer to an ice bath or rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry. If shrimp are large, cut into bite-sized pieces.

Cook minced chicken

Heat 1 tbs vegetable oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced chicken and 1/8 tsp salt and cook, breaking up lumps, until no longer pink and edges begin to brown, about 4–5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Reserve any juices in the pan to use for flavor if desired.

In a bowl, combine lime juice, fish sauce, light soy sauce and grated palm sugar. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Add minced garlic, chopped fresh red chili, toasted rice powder (if using) and 2 tbs cold water. Taste and adjust: add more fish sauce for saltiness, lime for acidity, or sugar for sweetness. The dressing should be bright, tangy and slightly spicy. Set aside.

Thinly slice the red onion and place in a small bowl of cold water for 5 minutes to mellow sharpness, then drain well. Slice scallions, roughly chop cilantro and mint (if using). Cut tomatoes into wedges and remove excess juice/seeds if you prefer a less watery salad.

In a large mixing bowl, combine drained glass noodles, cooked minced chicken, shrimp, sliced red onion, scallions, cilantro, mint (if using) and tomato wedges. Pour the dressing over the mixture.

Gently toss everything together with tongs or two forks until ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing and noodles have absorbed some flavor. Taste and adjust seasoning with up to 1/8–1/4 tsp additional salt or extra fish sauce/lime as needed.

Fold in roughly chopped roasted cashews and half of the fried shallots, reserving remaining for garnish.

Transfer Yum Woon Sen to a serving platter or individual plates. Sprinkle remaining fried shallots and extra chopped cashews on top. Garnish with additional cilantro leaves, sliced fresh chilies if desired, and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Best served immediately at room temperature. Leftovers can be chilled and kept up to 24 hours, but noodles will absorb more dressing and soften.