So excited to see green beans because I’ve been wanting to share a no-cook recipe we ran back in July on Lao salads. The source was Ilene Rouamvongsor and you may have met her at one of the Community Farmers Markets where she occasionally does chef demos and shares recipes. I’m giving you a much abridged version of her Thum Mak Tua which is a salad traditionally made with long beans, pounded with peppers, garlic, sugar and shrimp paste and then dressed with two kinds of fish sauce. Ilene would not be pleased with my truncated version (sorry!) but this is a version I can make with just things that are always in my pantry. And it’s delicious.
Ingredients:
4 Thai chili peppers, stems removed, cut into thirds, more if desired 2 cloves garlic 2 teaspoons cane or granulated sugar 3/4 pound green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths 1 Roma tomato, cored and cut into quarters 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots Juice of 1 lime 4 tablespoons fish sauce
Preparation:
In a large mortar and pestle, combine peppers, garlic, sugar and shrimp paste. Pound until mixture has formed a thick paste. Add green beans and pound vigorously until beans are bruised. Add tomato, shallots, lime juice, padaek and filtered fish sauce. Gently pound and toss together. Serve cold or at room temperature.