Hot & Sour Vermicelli Salad (Yam Wun Sen)

Yam Wun Sen is a Thai street-stall staple that usually includes minced pork and shrimp, but this vegetarian version proves the dish works just as well without them. Soft glass vermicelli noodles (rice noodles soaked in water until translucent) get tossed warm with two kinds of mushroom, shallots, carrot, celery, and green onion, all dressed in a sharp lemon-soy-chili sauce.

“Yam” in Thai cooking means a salad dressed with the hot-sour-salty-sweet quartet that defines the cuisine. Lemon juice delivers the sour, light soy brings the salt, a pinch of chili powder supplies the heat, and just enough sugar rounds the edges without tipping the dish sweet. Black fungus (wood ear mushroom) adds that distinctive gelatinous snap you find in Thai and Chinese soups, while button mushrooms soften into the warm noodles and absorb the dressing.

Garlic oil is the aromatic foundation. Frying chopped garlic in oil until golden brown and drizzling the infused oil over the finished salad adds a nutty, toasted depth you can’t get from raw garlic in the dressing. Add the garlic oil last so it coats the top and floats up when you plate.

Chef Tips

• Soak glass noodles in warm (not boiling) water for about 20 minutes. They should be soft and translucent but still have some bite.
• Watch the garlic closely while frying. It goes from golden to burnt in seconds, and burnt garlic turns the oil bitter.
• Serve warm, not hot or cold. Room-temperature is the traditional temperature for yam-style salads.
• Taste and adjust before serving. The dressing should be sharply sour first, then salty, then spicy. Correct whichever is missing.

Variations

• Add poached shrimp, crumbled minced pork, or crispy tofu for a more traditional Thai version.
• Use fish sauce in place of half the soy sauce for deeper umami (skip this for a strictly vegetarian plate).
• Toss in chopped roasted peanuts and fresh mint leaves for extra crunch and aroma.