Thai salads cannot be compared with the salads we eat in the West. Thai salads often do not have raw vegetables or fruit as their main ingredient but use minced meat, tofu, seafood or noodles instead. Similar to salads in the West, these dishes often have a souring dressing, usually lime juice, and have lots of fresh herbs and other greens. The spicy Woon Sen salad you find the recipe below of, is one of these salads.
Spicy Woon Sen Salad
Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 10 Total time: 20 minutes Serves: 1 plate
INGREDIENTS
50 gram glass noodles
3 small cloves garlic
3 Thai chilis (or less if you don't want it too spicy)
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 small lime
1 tablespoon homemade vegan 'fish' sauce
50 gram firm tofu
1/2 small red onion
1 stalk of cellery
1 small tomato
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/4 cup coriander
1/8 cup toasted peanuts
vegetable oil for frying
1 liter of water
EQUIPMENT
pestle and mortar
frying pan
tongs
2 bowls
serving plate
PREPARATION
soak the glass noodles in cold water
slice the celery into small pieces
slice the red onions finely, set aside
chop the coriander and set aside
make the vegan 'fish' sauce
toast the peanuts
juice the lime
crumble tofu with your hands
boil the water
METHOD
MAKE THE DRESSING: pound the garlic and chili in a pestle and mortar into a paste add the sugar, add palm sugar, lime juice and vegan 'fish' sauce mix well until sugar is dissolved Set aside
Add oil to a frying pan. Fry the crumbled tofu on medium heat until tofu starts to color.
Add salt and soy sauce and continue frying for about 2 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add in the celery and red onion.
Stir around for a minute and then transfer into a bowl.
Drain the glass noodles and place in a bowl
Pour the boiling water over the noodles (should be covered)
Leave noodles in for about 10 seconds
Remove the glass noodles from the boiling water with tongs
Shake off access water and add it to the bowl with the tofu, celery and red onion.
Pour on the dressing.
Add in the chopped coriander, tomatoes and toss to combine.
Transfer to a plate and sprinkle some toasted peanuts on top.
This recipe is made at the @THEFOODFORESTKITCHEN, the slow food restaurant of @ECOLOGICTHAILAND. Come and taste the wonderful homemade, fresh, organic food and drinks, while you enjoy the view over the rain forest and valley! A MEAL WITH A VIEW!