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Thai: Thai-Style Bean Salad

Source of Recipe


Adapted from "Hot Sour Salty Sweet"






List of Ingredients



• 1/2 lb. fresh yard-long beans or green beans, cut into 1-1/2-inch lengths
  
• 1 clove garlic
  
• 1 Tbsp unsalted peanuts
  
• 1 Tbsp dried shrimp, optional
  
• 1 to 2 Thai or serrano chilies (to taste), chopped
  
• Pinch of sugar
  
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  
• 2 Tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
  
• 2 plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
  






Instructions



1. Unless your beans are perfectly fresh and tender, parboil for 3 to 5 minutes or until firm, but not tough. Rinse the beans under cold water.
   
   
2. Place the garlic, peanuts, dried shrimp, chilies, and sugar in a large mortar or food processor and pound or process to a coarse paste. If using a processor, transfer the paste to a bowl.
   
   
3. Stir in the lime juice and fish sauce. Taste the dressing for a balance of hot, sour, salty and sweet. If too hot or sour, add a bit more sugar. If not salty enough, add more fish sauce. Experiment a bit and see how the flavors evolve as you adjust each ingredient.
   
   
4. Add the tomatoes and half the beans. Pound gently with a wooden spoon. The idea is not to crush the beans but to bruise them lightly so they absorb a bit of the dressing. Add the rest of the beans, stir and pound a bit more.
   
   
5. Turn the salad out onto a serving plate or shallow bowl. Serve with sticky rice, jasmine rice, or alone as an appetizer.
   
   Serves 4