Yam Woonsen

Ingredients

• 80-100 g dried vermicelli/glass noodles or 150 g fresh glass noodles
• handful of cashew nuts
• 100 g mushrooms
• 2 small shallots/spring onions
• ¼ carrot
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 small bunch Chinese celery
• handful of coriander leaves
• 3-5 bird’s eye chillies
• juice of a smallish lime
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• splash of water
• ¼ teaspoon sugar (optional)
• celery leaves or lettuce, to serve

Method

If you are using dried glass noodles then start by soaking an 80-100 g packet in hot water for about 6 to 8 minutes until soft, then drain and cut into manageable lengths. I use about 150 g of fresh glass noodles.

Quickly fry a handful of cashew nuts until golden, drain and leave to one side.

Meanwhile steam/blanch about 100 g mushrooms (if you use large mushrooms slice them). I also add a few chopped beans to the steamer once the mushrooms are nearly ready.

Chop up a couple of small shallots/spring onions and put them in a mixing bowl. Next grate about a quarter of a carrot into the bowl, a chopped tomato, a small bunch of Chinese celery and some coriander leaves.

Roughly crush 3-5 bird’s eye chillies with the back of a knife and add these, then add the juice of a smallish lime and a tablespoon of light soy sauce.

Add in the noodles and the steamed mushrooms and beans, a splash of water and about a ¼ teaspoon sugar (optional) and mix everything together. Taste and add more soy sauce, lime or chillies to balance the flavours. Add most of the cashew nuts and mix in. Make sure the yam is not too dry, if necessary add a little more water, the noodles can sometimes keep absorbing liquid.

Serve on a bed of leaves, here I used the celery leaves, you can also use some lettuce. Sprinkle over the remaining cashews and garnish with some coriander leaves.