Spicy Thai Glass Noodle Salad (laab woonsen)
A lesser known version of the classic laab salad. Glass noodles and ground meat are tossed with a spicy lime dressing with aromatic toasted rice powder. It's also loaded with fresh herbs. It's easy, healthy, and is very quick to make for a weeknight meal!
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 3 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
- 40 g dry glass noodles (see note)
- 15 g dried black fungus mushroom, aka wood ear or cloud ear mushrooms
- 3 tbsp uncooked jasmine or sticky rice
- 200 g ground pork or chicken, preferably not lean
- 1 head shallots, thinly sliced
- 1+1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp fresh lime Juice
- Roasted chili flakes, to taste (see note)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup mint leaves, roughly chop large leaves
Instructions
- 1
Soak dried mushrooms in hot water for 10-15 minutes until the soften.
- 2
In a separate bowl, soak glass noodles in room temp water for 10 minutes.
- 3
Meanwhile, make toasted rice powder: In a dry skillet, toast uncooked rice over high heat, stirring constantly, until it has a deep golden brown colour. Remove from pan, then pound in a mortar and pestle or grind in a coffee grinder into a powder. Be sure not to grind it so fine that it's like flour, you want a bit of grittiness.
- 4
Once noodles are done soaking, drain and use scissors to cut into shorter, easier to eat pieces (I make about 3-4 cuts).
- 5
Once mushrooms are done soaking, drain and cut into thin ribbons, removing any hard “core” pieces you find.
- 6
Bring 2-inches of water to a boil in a small pot, add noodles and mushrooms and cook 2-3 minutes until noodles are done.
- 7
Place the drained noodles in a mixing bowl and put the pot you used to cook the noodles back on the stove.
- 8
Add about 1 tablespoon of water to the pot and turn the heat on medium high. Add the ground pork and cook, stirring constantly, until done. Add cooked pork to noodles along with all the juices.
- 9
While noodles are still hot, toss in shallots so the heat can help wilt the shallots slightly. Then add fish sauce, lime juice, chili flakes and toss well.
- 10
Add toasted rice powder and all fresh herbs, toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- 11
Serve immediately.