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Thai: Pork Glass Noodle Salad

Source of Recipe

From "Cravings: Hungry for More" by Chrissy Teigen


Recipe Introduction

"This garlicky-tart-savory 'salad' of ground pork and noodles is also known as *yum woon sen.* I love my Thai people. I love a language that puts 'yum' in the *name* of its food. Like when a company calls itself #1 Nail Salon or The Country's Best Yogurt. Or like if I called this book Oprah's Book Club #1 Choice Cravings. Or like if a young R&B artist decided his last name should be 'Legend.' Sometimes, you just gotta name it and claim it. These noodles are Yum-my. I dare you to disagree."

List of Ingredients

◦ 3 ounces dried glass noodles (a.k.a. bean thread or cellophane noodles)
◦ 4 cloves garlic
◦ 2 fresh Thai bird chiles, or to taste, plus slices for garnish
◦ 1 small clove Thai pickled garlic, plus 1 tablespoon of the pickle juice (see Note)
◦ 3 tablespoons fish sauce
◦ 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 lime), plus lime wedges for serving
◦ 1 pound ground pork
◦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
◦ 1 large tomato, cut into 10 wedges
◦ � small white onion, cut into thin half-moons
◦ 3 scallions, cut into 1 �-inch lengths
◦ � cup tender celery leaves (literally the leaves that come with your celery stalks)
◦ � cup shredded mint leaves


Recipe

Place the noodles in a medium bowl and cover with cold water; let them soak until they hydrate, about 15 minutes. While the noodles are soaking, fill a large saucepan halfway with water and bring to a boil over high heat.

Drop the hydrated noodles into the boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain in a colander and let cool slightly. With a mortar and pestle, mash the garlic, chiles (they're hot!), and pickled garlic (or chop it all finely with a knife) until pulverized. Transfer to a small bowl and whisk in the pickled garlic juice, fish sauce, and lime juice with a fork.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and salt and cook, breaking up the meat into tiny pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned and cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine the pork, drained noodles, tomato, onion, scallions, celery leaves, and mint. Add the garlic-lime dressing and toss. Divide among bowls, garnish with thinly sliced chiles, and serve with lime wedges.

Serves 4







❧ Note: Thai Pickled Garlic
Thai pickled garlic is available at Asian markets. If you can't find it, use one small clove garlic and 2 teaspoons unseasoned rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar and 1 teaspoon sugar in place of the pickle juice.