Kung Ob Woon Sen

Kung Ob Woon Sen (Thai Clay-Pot Prawns with Glass Noodles)

A classic Thai clay-pot dish where prawns steam over a bed of glass noodles that drink up the peppery, aromatic sauce. Traditionally cooked in a lidded clay pot over charcoal, but a heavy casserole with a tight lid on the stovetop works well at home.

Prep

25 min

Cook

20 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •150 g (5½ oz) dried glass noodles (woon sen), mung bean thread noodles
• •600 g (1 lb 5 oz) large prawns, shell-on, head-on preferred; deveined, tails left on
• •30 g (1 oz) fresh ginger, sliced into thin coins
• •4 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• •3 stalks coriander root, washed and bruised; substitute 1 tbsp chopped coriander stem if unavailable
• •1 tsp white peppercorns, lightly crushed
• •45 ml (3 tbsp) light soy sauce
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) oyster sauce
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, substitute dry sherry or mirin
• •10 ml (2 tsp) sesame oil
• •15 g (½ oz) spring onions, cut into 3 cm lengths
• •30 g (1 oz) fresh coriander, leaves, to finish
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) neutral oil, for frying aromatics

Steps

1. 1 Soak the glass noodles in room-temperature water for 10 minutes until pliable but still firm. Drain, snip into shorter lengths with scissors, and set aside.
2. 2 Peel and devein the prawns, leaving the tail shells on. Rinse and pat dry. Toss with 1 tbsp of the light soy sauce and set aside while you prepare the aromatics.
3. 3 Heat the neutral oil in a heavy lidded casserole or clay pot over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, coriander root and crushed white peppercorns. Fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.
4. 4 Add the oyster sauce, remaining soy sauce, rice wine and sesame oil. Stir and let bubble for 30 seconds.
5. 5 Spread the drained glass noodles evenly over the sauce in the pot. Arrange the prawns in a single layer on top of the noodles. Pour over any marinade from the bowl.
6. 6 Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Cook over medium-low heat for 6 minutes without lifting the lid. The trapped steam cooks the prawns and the noodles absorb the sauce.
7. 7 Check doneness: prawns should be opaque and pink all the way through, with an internal temperature of at least 70°C (160°F) measured at the thickest part. The noodles should be translucent, slippery and have absorbed nearly all the liquid. If noodles are still firm or liquid remains, add 2 tbsp water, re-cover and cook 2 minutes more.
8. 8 Scatter the spring onion lengths and coriander leaves over the top. Cover again and let rest off the heat for 1 minute.
9. 9 Serve immediately, in the pot, with steamed jasmine rice to soak up the sauce.