THAI CELLOPHANE NOODLES RECIPES

Steps:

• Put the cellophane noodles in a bowl, add enough water to cover by about 2.5cm (1 in) and leave to soak while preparing the other ingredients.
• Remove the heads and tails from the shrimp (save them to make shrimp stock or shrimp oil for another dish). Use a sharp knife to cut the shrimp down the back from the top to the tail, cutting deep enough that the shrimp can open and lay almost flat, but not so deep that you cut the shrimp in half. Remove the vein from the back of the shrimp.
• Slice the cherry tomatoes into thin discs.
• Cut the carrot and celery into small dice.
• Slice the garlic cloves and put them into the bowl of a food processor (or use a blender or immersion blender).
• Roughly chop the palm sugar and add it to the garlic, along with about half the fish sauce. Blend to a smooth purée.
• With the blender on, pour in the remaining fish sauce and the lime juice through the feed tube.
• Drain the cellophane noodles in a colander.
• Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add the cellophane noodles and cook until tender but still springy – do not overcook. Use a large flat slotted spoon/skimmer to scoop the noodles from the water, then drain them, rinse with cold water and drain again.
• Heat the same pot of water to boiling. Add the shrimp, cook for about 30 seconds or until they curl, then scoop them from the water. Shake off the excess water, then drain the shrimp on paper towels.
• Take a few strands of cellophane noodles and dip them in the fish sauce/garlic sauce. Taste the noodles to check the seasonings of the sauce and correct, if necessary.
• Put the cellophane noodles in a bowl and add about half the sauce. Mix the ingredients to coat the strands with the sauce, then spread the noodles onto a serving plate.
• Put the shrimp into the bowl that held the noodles, add a little of the sauce and mix briefly, then arrange the shrimp on top of the noodles.
• Scatter the carrot and celery over the noodles, then add the tomato slices.
• Cut some of the large leaves of mint into chiffonade and leave the smaller leaves whole. Arrange the chiffonade mint and whole leaves over the ingredients.
• Drizzle the remaining sauce over the ingredients, then serve immediately.

Steps:

• Soak the glass noodles in room temperature water for 5 minutes or until softened slightly. ? For the dressing, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Use a mortar and pestle to pound the red chilli into a rough paste. Alternatively, finely chopped the red chilli. Add chilli to the dressing and set aside until ready to serve. ? Cook soaked noodles in boiling water for 2 minutes or until softened and cooked through. Remove noodles from the water with tongs or a slotted spoon and place in a large bowl. ? Place a sieve into the simmering noodle cooking water. Add pork into the sieve and cook, agitating until pork is cooked through. Drain pork using the sieve and add the pork into the noodles. Repeat this process with the prawns. ? Add the dressing and herbs and toss until well combined. Add chilli flakes to taste (optional).