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Yam tua plu (wing bean salad)

Yam tua plu (ยำถั่วพู): blanched wing beans in a creamy coconut and chilli-jam dressing, vegan

Wing beans grow on fences in back gardens all over central Thailand, and their frilly, four-edged slices make one of the most loved yam on a family table, eaten alongside a curry and rice at dinner. The beans are blanched for seconds so they stay crunchy and grassy, then coated in coconut cream sharpened with lime and nam prik pao, with peanuts and crisp shallots on top. The usual restaurant version adds poached prawns or minced pork and seasons with fish sauce; this one uses tamari, so it is vegan. Look for wing beans in Asian grocers; fine green beans work too. Chef's tip: the common mistake is overcooking the beans; blanch them for 30 seconds only and plunge into iced water, or they turn olive-grey and limp.
Total time
20 min
Difficulty
easy
Serves
4
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Ingredients

Serves4

For the salad

For the dressing

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Fresh ingredients (5)

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Method

0/4 done
  1. Step 1: Bring a pan of water to a rolling boil and have a bowl of iced water ready. Drop in 10 ½ oz wing beans for 30 seconds, until bright green, then lift straight into the iced water. Drain well and pat dry.

    3 min
  2. Step 2: Warm 4 tbsp coconut cream in a small pan over a low heat for a minute, just until it loosens and smells fragrant; don't let it boil. Take off the heat and whisk in 1 ½ tbsp nam prik pao (Thai chilli jam), 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tsp palm sugar, 1 tbsp tamari and 1 red bird's-eye chilli if using.

    2 min
  3. Step 3: Taste the dressing: it should be creamy and sour with a sweet, smoky warmth. Adjust with more lime or tamari.

  4. Step 4: Toss the beans and 2 shallots with the dressing until coated, then pile onto a plate and scatter with 3 tbsp roasted peanuts, 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots and 2 tbsp toasted grated coconut. Serve straight away.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
170 kcal
Protein
6 g
Carbs
14 g
Fat
11 g
Fibre
4 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does yam tua plu (wing bean salad) take?
About 20 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
How many people does it serve?
4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
Is it vegan?
Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
What can I use instead of shallots?
Half an onion per 2 shallots.
What can I use instead of crispy fried shallots?
Half an onion per 2 shallots.

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