Why this salad deserves a place in your repertoire

Thai home cooking has a habit of making the most of very little. A handful of noodles, a few prawns, whatever herbs are kicking about in the fridge, and a dressing sharp enough to wake you up — that is a whole meal, and a brilliant one at that. This spicy glass noodle salad sits right in the middle of that tradition. It is light, it is zingy, it takes about twenty minutes from start to finish, and it tastes even better after half an hour in the fridge.

The Thais call this style of dish yam — a tossed salad built on a fierce dressing of lime, fish sauce, chilli and sugar. The glass noodles soak all of that up like a sponge, while the prawns, shallots and herbs keep everything fresh rather than heavy. Serve it as a starter for four, or bulk it out with extra vegetables and call it dinner for two on a hot evening.

What goes into it

The shopping list is short, but the details matter. For four starters or two generous mains, you will need:

• 150g glass noodles (also sold as bean thread, cellophane or wun sen)
• 400g raw king prawns, peeled and deveined
• 3 shallots, sliced as thinly as you can manage
• 4 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal
• A generous handful each of coriander, mint and Thai basil
• 1 lemongrass stalk, very finely sliced (optional but lovely)
• 3 birds-eye chillies, or to taste
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice — about two limes, and please squeeze them yourself
• 2 tsp palm sugar, or soft light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly crushed, and a spoonful of fried shallots to finish

Cherry tomatoes, a few ribbons of cucumber and a stick or two of celery all make good additions if you have them. None of them are essential.

Getting the glass noodles right

Glass noodles are forgiving right up until the moment they are not. They are made from mung bean starch, they contain no gluten, and they go from pleasantly springy to a sticky, slumping mass in what feels like seconds.

The safest approach is to soak rather than boil. Cover the noodles with hot — not furiously boiling — water and leave them for five to eight minutes, until they are pliable and translucent but still have a little bite. If the packet says boil for two minutes, you can do that instead, but drain them the second the timer goes. Either way, rinse them under cold running water to stop the cooking dead, then drain very thoroughly.

Once drained, snip through the pile two or three times with kitchen scissors. Long strands look dramatic but are miserable to eat, and cutting them makes tossing the salad far easier.

The dressing, and the four-flavour balance

Thai cooking is built on balancing hot, sour, salty and sweet. This dressing is a masterclass in it. Pound the garlic, chillies and palm sugar together in a mortar until you have a rough, fragrant paste — no need for perfection — then stir in the fish sauce and lime juice. If you do not have a mortar, crush the garlic and chop the chilli finely, then whisk everything together and leave it for five minutes to meld.

Taste it before you commit. It should hit you with heat first, then a clean sourness, then salt, with just enough sweetness underneath to hold it all together. Too salty? More lime. Too sour? A pinch more sugar. Too hot? A splash more fish sauce and lime will dilute the burn. Trust your own tongue over any recipe, including this one.

The prawns want barely any cooking: drop them into gently simmering salted water for two to three minutes, until they curl into loose C shapes and turn opaque pink. Tight little O shapes mean overcooked. Plunge them straight into iced water, then drain and pat dry. A tablespoon of that poaching liquid stirred into the dressing adds a lovely savoury depth.

Putting it together

In a large bowl, combine the drained noodles, shallots, spring onions, lemongrass and dressing. Toss well with your hands or two spoons, then fold through the prawns and most of the herbs. Add the peanuts last so they stay crunchy.

Chill for twenty to thirty minutes before serving. This is not strictly necessary, but it lets the noodles drink in the dressing and makes the whole thing taste brighter and colder against the heat of the chilli. Any longer than an hour and the herbs will start to darken, so leave them out until nearer the time if you are planning ahead. Scatter the remaining herbs and fried shallots over the top just before it goes to the table.

Serving, storing and ringing the changes

This salad is a natural partner for grilled chicken, sticky rice or simply a cold beer. It also travels well to a picnic, provided you keep it out of the sun.

Leftovers keep for a day in a sealed container in the fridge. The noodles will soften and the herbs will sulk a little, but it is still perfectly good eating. If you are making it in advance, keep the dressing separate and toss at the last minute.

Once you have the dressing nailed, swap the prawns for shredded poached chicken, squid, crisp fried tofu or even leftover roast duck. Add pomelo or green mango for a sharper, fruitier version. For a vegan take, use light soy sauce or mushroom seasoning instead of fish sauce and a little agave in place of the palm sugar. The method stays the same, and the salad stays just as addictive.