Goong Ob Woonsen (Thai Glass Noodle Prawn)

Name: Goong Ob Woonsen (Thai Glass Noodle Prawn)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 3
Ingredients: 4 cloves garlic; 2 coriander root; 100 grams bacon; 140 grams glass noodles; 60 grams ginger; 500 grams shrimps or prawns; a handful Chinese celery; a handful green onions; 2 tablespoons oyster sauce; 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce; 2 tablespoons golden mountain seasoning sauce; 1.5 tablespoon sugar; 2 tablespoons sesame oil; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 150 milliliters water

Praew May 26, 2023 0 Comments

Mix up your dinner routine with this mouthwatering seafood goodness!

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Goong ob woonsen (Thai glass noodle prawn) is an easy one-pot recipe with fresh herbs and traditional Thai sauces. In Thai seafood restaurants, this noodle dish is always served with a spicy seafood sauce. Combine these two recipes and introduce your spice-buds to new, unique flavors from Thai cuisine.

Goong ob woonsen in a large pot with wooden handles, next to it is a green Thai chili sauce, and a part of a bowl with wooden chopsticks on top.

Table of Contents

What are glass noodles

Glass noodles are also known as bean thread noodles, mung bean noodles, cellophane noodles, bean vermicelli and Chinese vermicelli.

In Thailand, these noodles are commonly referred to as “woonsen”, and the term “goong” is used for shrimp or prawn, while “ob” translates to bake.

Imagine thin and tender noodles, with a chewy texture, that are pretty much flavorless on their own. If you’re seeking gluten-free noodles, look no further than these, as they’re made from starches like mung bean, potato, or sweet potato starch.

These versatile noodles are a popular ingredient in a wide range of Asian dishes such as flavorful Thai soups, refreshing yum woon sen salads, and even crispy spring rolls. As you can see, the possibilities are endless.

When buying these noodles from Asian supermarkets, they usually come in packages and require soaking in water before use. While the soaking time may vary by brand, soaking for around 6 minutes should be a good average.

These noodles are gentle on the stomach, which is great because they’re so addictive – once you start eating them, it’s hard to stop! However, it’s worth noting that despite their lightness, they’re not particularly low in calories.

2 packages of glass noodles, plus some glass noodles unpacked.

Thai seafood dish

Hands down, this Thai seafood dish is one of my all-time favorites! Why? Well, it’s cooked up in minutes, simple to prepare, and absolutely bursting with flavors. I’m not exaggerating one bit!

There’s a subtle hint of ginger, savory and sweetness coming from oyster sauce and dark soy sauce, and the sweetness from sugar to balance it out. All that combined with the spiciness from the Thai green chili sauce, which is made especially for seafood, makes this one of my favorite glass noodle meals.

Goong ob woonsen in a large pot with wooden handles.

Traditional goong ob woonsen

If you want to make goong ob woonsen like Thai people do, then you’ll have to get some bacon! In this classic Thai dish, we use the fat from bacon as a substitute for cooking oil.

The flavors in a traditional Thai glass noodle prawn are complex and come in multiple layers. The bottom of the pot is covered with crispy pork meat, crushed garlic and coriander root. We find flavorful shrimps and ginger with the noodles and sauces in the middle, and the top is packed with fresh vegetables.

Thai glass noodles with 2 prawns on a black plate. Next to it is a Thai chili sauce and a wooden fork and spoon.

Shrimps or prawns

Should I use shrimp or prawns in goong ob woonsen? Today, I decided to use large prawns, but either option can be used, and any size can work.

Prawns are a bit sweeter than shrimps, and of course there’s a bit more meat to them.

I always leave the shells on when cooking shrimp because I enjoy removing them while eating, as do many Thai people. However, if you prefer, you can remove the shells before cooking if you wish to do so.

Ingredients

Most of these ingredients can be found at Asian grocery stores.

Shrimps or prawns – If you are using shrimps, look for black tiger shrimps. These are usually large, which suit this meal best.
Bacon – Look for meat that has a lot of fat to it.
Oyster sauce – This Asian sauce adds a savory and salty flavor to dishes.
Dark soy sauce – Using this thick sauce in this meal will give it a beautiful dark color, that is also what this sauce is often used for.
Golden mountain sauce – This is a sauce that Thai people use to add extra flavor and aroma.
Sesame oil – A healthy cooking oil.
Sugar – Sweetness is one of the essential flavors of Thai cuisine.
Green onions
Chinese celery
Ginger
Garlic
Coriander root
Water
Black pepper or white pepper

Step-by-step instructions

My mother has a clay pot laying in her house, and she swears by making this noodle dish with the pot. They are great for steaming food. But most people probably don’t have this in their kitchen, and the one I have is way too small for this recipe, so I decided to use a non-stick cooking pot.

First, soak the glass vermicelli in water according to the package label. The noodles I used were ready after 6 minutes. Drain the water afterward.
Tip: Hold them with a fork or your fingers, if they hang soft, they are ready.
Then, make the sauce. Add water, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, golden mountain sauce, sesame oil, sugar and black pepper in a bowl and stir.
Add garlic, coriander root and bacon in a non-stick cooking pot or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Cook until fat starts coming from the pork meat, and the garlic turns golden brown.
Add glass noodles and the mixture of the sauces (step2).
Add ginger and lay the shrimps or prawns in the cooking pot, all in 1 layer.
Add the Chinese celery and green onions.
Close the lid, cook for 5 minutes and then remove from heat and serve.

How to serve

Traditionally, this Thai meal is served in the pot or pan it was made in. But if you wish, you can just serve the noodles on a plate with the shrimps on top, or next to them noodles. Serve with chopsticks or a spoon and fork.

How to store

Let the dish cool down to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. It’s best stored in your refrigerator, to be eaten within 2 days.
To reheat: Use a microwave or reheat in a pan over medium heat.

More noodle recipes you’ll love

Pad Thai – My mother’s pad Thai recipe is authentic, incredibly flavorful, and most of all it’s made with so much love!
Pad see ew – Take your taste buds to the busy streets of Thailand with this aromatic stir-fry!
Rice vermicelli stir-fry – A flavorful rice vermicelli stir-fry within 15 minutes.

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Goong ob woonsen in a pot with a green chili sauce, and a black bowl with chopsticks on top of it.

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