Wing Bean salad with Coconut and Cashews
This is one of my favourite southeast Asian salads, variations of this winged bean salad are found in both Thai and Malay cuisine. It is light and crunchy with a depth from the coconut and cashews.
I first tasted wing beans in Thailand where they are stir-fried or served as salads. Also known as four-angled or dragon beans, these little tropical legumes are common across South East Asia - they have a delicate taste somewhere between a green bean and asparagus. Wing beans are increasingly available in Asian grocers in larger cities and have become popular with gardeners in recent years. If you cannot find wind beans you could try this salad with any green bean or asparagus. This fragrant lemongrass dressing is quite versatile.
This dish works well as a side dish along side a Thai curry or a Malaysian Rendang, however, I also serve it combined with some simple prawns or chicken as a lunch or heavier salad.
Wing Bean salad with coconut and cashews
Serves 2
Ingredients
200g of wing beans
3 tablespoon shredded coconut (desiccated is also fine)
50g cashews, toasted
3 stalks of lemongrass
1 tablespoon Thai sweet chili sauce/jam
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Juice of half a lime (more if using smaller limes)
Red chili, chopped, to garnish
Method
Finely chop the whites of the lemongrass. I find that the most effective way to do this is in my Cuisinart spice grinder. Take half the lemongrass and combine it in a bowl with the sweet chili sauce, fish sauce, and lime juice, adjusting to your taste.
Toast the coconut with the remaining lemongrass in a dry pan, stirring continuously until it starts to brown but do not let it burn.
To prepare the wing beans, trim off the frilly edges or any black bits. Plunge in boiling water for 1 minute, remove and chop finely so that you have lots of little green star-shaped slices.
Combine immediately with the sauce and top with toasted coconut, cashew nuts, and chopped chili. This can be served as a side salad but I also serve it with prawns as in the photo, shredded chicken breast, or tofu to make it a full meal.
You can add prawns or shredded chicken to this wing bean salad to increase the protein content.