Noodle Nirvana

Thailand’s heavenly Yum Woonsen bursts with bold flavours, offering a fiery, delicious kick in every bite!

Words: Sarita Urupongsa

“Yum”, or spicy salad, is a dazzling gem in the treasure trove of Thai cuisine. With its bold flavours and colourful presentation, this is a dish that sparkles on the palate.

Creating a great Yum is wonderfully simple: just toss cooked meat, fresh vegetables, herbs, noodles and spicy dressing until the flavours harmonise to perfection. One of the most popular variations in Thai restaurants and food stalls is Yum Woonsen, or spicy glass noodle salad.

Making your own Yum is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in Thai culinary culture – just make sure to dive in as soon as it’s ready!

Timing is key, so have all the ingredients prepped before you begin. Kick off by finely slicing a variety of vegetables – tomatoes, onions, spring onions and Chinese celery are perfect choices.

But as the name suggests, glass noodles are the star of this dish, soaking up the spicy-sour dressing that bursts with flavour on your palate. To achieve the perfect Yum Woonsen, soak dried glass noodles in water for about 10 minutes, then drain. Use scissors to cut the noodles into bite-size lengths. Next, grab some meat – minced pork, squid, shrimp or Vietnamese sausages are all traditional favourites. Cook the meat through, then let it cool slightly before tossing the noodles in boiling water.

The perfect plate of Yum Woonsen boasts an exquisite balance of four flavours – sour, salty, sweet and spicy. To achieve this, combine garlic, red bird’s eye chillies, palm sugar, fish sauce and fresh lime juice in a mortar and pound gently.

Then, toss all the ingredients into a large bowl, drizzle the spicy dressing over the top and mix everything together. Your dish is now ready to serve!

A tasty twist on the classic Yum Woonsen is Yum Woonsen Boran, or old-school glass noodle salad. This version has less dressing and noodles with more bite from only a brief dunking in boiling water. This variation also features shallots instead of onions, plus toppings like dried shrimp and roasted peanuts for extra flavour and crunchiness.