A vegan pad woon sen: Make this Thai glass noodles dish that’s packed with tofu and vegetables

From cbc.ca

In this recipe from The Vegan Asian Kitchen, WoonHeng Chia shares her tips for perfectly-coated noodles

WoonHeng Chia’s version of pad woon sen skips the meat, swaps in vegetarian oyster sauce, and is full of vegetables and tofu. It’s a dish from Chia’s new cookbook, The Vegan Asian Cookbook, that’s sure to be as satisfying as it is simple to make.

Read on for Chia’s recipe, plus her tips for getting the noodles perfectly coated in sauce, every single time.

Pad Woon Sen

(Stir-Fried Glass Noodles)

                                                                                                                 (Shein Loong Yap)

Thai-style pad woon sen—a soft tangle of glass noodles aromatic with garlic and onion and mixed with vegetables—­was once a dish I was too nervous to try making at home. I used to watch the vendors making a similar glass noodle dish at char kuey teow stalls in Malaysia, stirring like their lives depended on it, making sure every noodle was coated in rich sauce, and I’d think, “How do they pull it off?”

When I finally decided to try making this in my own kitchen, I found a few tricks that made things way easier: Prep the sauce in advance and use a big pan so the noodles have plenty of surface area to absorb the sauce. Use both hands when you’re stirring, one with tongs to tease apart stubborn clumps, and one with a spatula to make sure the sauce reaches every corner. At the very end, increase to high heat for a slight sear. With these tips in your back pocket, this dish is fully achievable!

Ingredients

For the noodles

• 3½ ounces (100 g) dried mung bean vermicelli (bean thread)

For the sauce

• 2 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) Golden Mountain brand Thai seasoning sauce
• ½ teaspoon dark caramel soy sauce
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon mushroom seasoning
• Dash each of ground white pepper and ground black pepper

For the tofu and vegetables

• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 7 ounces (200 g) firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into 1-­inch (2.5 cm) cubes
• 3½ ounces (100 g) fresh oyster or king oyster mushrooms, torn into bite-­sized pieces
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• ¼ cup (30 g) carrot slices
• ½ cup (60 g) chopped cabbage
• ½ cup (50 g) chopped yu choy or gai lan
• 1 small (60 g) tomato, cut into wedges
• 1 scallion, white and green parts, cut into 2-­inch (5 cm) sections and julienned

For serving

• 1 or 2 fresh red Thai chiles, thinly sliced, in Vegan Fish Sauce
• Red pepper flakes

Preparation

1. Soften the noodles: Soak the mung bean vermicelli in warm water for 10 minutes, until tender, then drain. Snip the noodles into shorter lengths with scissors for easier handling and stir-frying. 

2. Prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the vegetarian oyster sauce, Golden Mountain seasoning sauce, dark caramel soy sauce, sugar, mushroom seasoning, white pepper, black pepper, and 1/2 cup (120 ml) water.

3. Pan-fry the tofu and mushrooms: Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large wok or nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Pan-fry the tofu cubes in a single layer until golden brown on both sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the tofu to a bowl.

4. In the same pan, add the mushrooms and sauté until they are fragrant and starting to sear on the edges, about 2 minutes. Transfer them to the same bowl as the tofu.

5. Sauté the vegetables: Using the same pan or wok, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, and carrot for about 2 minutes, until the onion is slightly translucent. Add the cabbage, yu choy, and tomato, then add 2 tablespoons of the sauce mixture. Stir-fry the vegetables until they are softened, about 2 minutes. Return the tofu and mushrooms to the pan, pushing everything to one side.

6. Cook the noodles: Spread the noodles evenly in the pan in a single layer. Pour the remaining sauce over the noodles and increase the heat to medium-high. Using a pair of tongs, toss and stir the vermicelli to combine with the sauce and vegetables. The noodles will gradually expand and soften. If the pan becomes dry before the noodles are fully cooked, add more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

7. When the sauce is completely absorbed and the noodles are fully cooked, 2 to 3 minutes, fold in the scallion. Increase the heat to high and toss for another minute to combine and lightly sear. 

8. Serve: Transfer to a plate and serve with Thai chiles in vegan fish sauce and red pepper flakes.

Serves 2

Excerpted from The Vegan Asian Kitchen by WoonHeng Chia. Copyright © 2026 WoonHeng Chia. Photographs by Shein Loong Yap. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. 

https://www.cbc.ca/life/food/stir-fried-glass-noodles-vegan-pad-woon-sen-recipe-woonheng-chia-9.7250709

 

Spice up your Veganuary with Saiphin Moore’s vegan Thai favourites

From independent.co.uk/life-style

Think Veganuary means giving up bold flavours? Think again. Saiphin Moore, the culinary genius behind Rosa’s Thai, shares three vegan recipes that are as vibrant as they are satisfying 

It’s Veganuary – the time of year when many of us swap out steak for seitan and discover just how versatile plants can be. But if you think going vegan means giving up bold flavours and vibrant dishes, Saiphin Moore, co-founder of Rosa’s Thai, is here to prove otherwise.

Raised in a remote village in northern Thailand, Saiphin grew up cooking with ingredients so fresh, she’d sometimes climb trees to pick them. That same approach to flavour, balance and authenticity has made Rosa’s Thai a beloved institution – and now, it’s the perfect inspiration for your plant-based kitchen.

In honour of Veganuary, Saiphin shares three stunning vegan dishes that showcase the best of Thai cooking. There’s a creamy tempeh chu chi curry, a fragrant coconut soup with oyster mushrooms and a tofu holy basil stir-fry that packs a proper punch. Each recipe is designed to make the most of simple, fresh ingredients while bringing the vibrant energy of Thailand to your plate.

Rich, creamy, and unapologetically bold – this is the kind of curry that turns a simple dinner into a culinary escape to Thailand (Saiphin Moore)

Tempeh ‘chu chi’ curry

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

3 tbsp red Thai curry paste (we make our own but shop-bought works)

300ml coconut milk

200g tempeh (we recommend Club Cultured)

2-3 lime leaves, finely sliced

1 long red chilli, sliced

1 long green chilli, sliced

Vegetable oil for frying

Steamed rice, to serve

Method:

1. Fry the tempeh in oil until golden brown then set aside.

2. In a frying pan or wok, add the curry paste and fry for 2 minutes until fragrant.

3. Add the coconut milk, mix and cook until it thickens and starts to boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, then add the chillies and lime leaves.

4. Cook for 2-3 more minutes then turn off the heat.

5. Pour the hot curry sauce over the tempeh, garnish with more lime leaves and serve immediately with rice.

Coconut soup with oyster mushrooms

Light yet deeply satisfying, this northern Thai classic is like a warm hug on a chilly Veganuary evening (Louise Hagger)

Serves: 2

You can find Tom Kha all over Thailand – different versions according to location. Mine has a northern taste, as it’s based on my mum’s recipe. I still remember my dad teaching me to climb coconut trees when I was 10 years old to collect the fruits – these trees were at least 25m (80ft) high and I’d have no harness on. I had to be very picky once I reached the top, as only the mature coconuts would do for the soup.

Ingredients:

200ml (7fl oz) coconut milk

200ml (7fl oz) water

5 slices of greater galangal

1 lemongrass stalk, sliced diagonally

3 kaffir lime leaves, shredded

3 small red chillies, sliced

4 coriander roots (or use 20 fresh coriander stalks), roughly chopped

1 tsp sea salt flakes

150g (5½oz) oyster mushrooms, broken into pieces

5 cherry tomatoes, halved

3 tbsp lime juice

2 tbsp light soy sauce

Handful of fresh coriander leaves

Method:

1. Pour the coconut milk and measured water into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the galangal, lemongrass, lime leaves, chillies, coriander roots or stalks and salt.

2. Leave to bubble away over a medium heat for 2 minutes, until the flavours come through, then add the mushrooms and the tomatoes and cook for a further 2 minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the lime juice, soy sauce and coriander leaves. Serve immediately.

Pad kra prow taohu: tofu holy basil stir-fry

Spicy, fragrant and bursting with colour – this wok-fired wonder is proof that plant-based can still pack a punch (Louise Hagger)

Serves: 2

Pad kra prow is another national dish found on many a Thai street corner, and that includes the vegetarian version. In Thailand we use holy basil, the very pungent sister of Italian basil, which is a key ingredient in Thai cooking. You’ll notice the sudden bursts of aroma from the wok as soon as you start tossing the ingredients together over a high heat – it’s a smell that wakes up my senses every time.

Ingredients:

3 red bird’s eye chillies

3 garlic cloves

2 tbsp vegetable oil

150g (5½oz) firm tofu, cut into chunks

1 tbsp light soy sauce

½ tbsp dark soy sauce

½ tbsp sugar

Pinch of white pepper

½ onion, chopped

¼ red pepper, sliced

¼ yellow pepper, sliced

30g (1oz) yard-long beans or green beans, cut into 2cm (¾ inch) pieces

Handful of holy basil leaves

2 kaffir lime leaves, chopped

Steamed jasmine rice, to serve

Method:

1. Using either a pestle and mortar, grind the chillies and garlic to a paste.

2. Heat the oil in a wok set over a high heat. Add the chilli and garlic mixture and stir-fry for about 30 seconds, until nice and golden brown.

3. Now add the tofu chunks, both soy sauces, the palm sugar and white pepper and cook, tossing everything around in the pan, for about 1 minute, until the tofu is well coated and has taken on a little colour from the sauces.

4. Once everything is mixed well, add the onion, peppers and long beans and cook for a further 30 seconds, all the while tossing the mixture together. Throw in the basil and lime leaves and stir-fry for a further 30 seconds. Serve immediately with jasmine rice.

Recipes by Saiphin Moore, co-founder of Rosa’s Thai

https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/recipes/vegan-thai-recipes-b2674370.html