Winged Bean Salad with Coconut, Lemongrass and Cashews

Winged bean salad with coconut and cashews

Winged Bean Salad

This crunchy fragrant winged bean salad gets so much depth from the coconut and cashews. This winged bean salad is one of my favourite southeast Asian salads and is a great option for vegan guests.

What is a Winged Bean?

Also known as Manila beans, four-angled beans or dragon beans, these little tropical legumes are common across South East Asia, India and parts of Africa. Winged beans have a delicate taste somewhere between a green bean and asparagus. Winged beans are increasingly available in Asian grocers in larger cities and have become popular with gardeners in recent years. If you cannot find winged beans you could try this salad with any green bean or asparagus. This fragrant lemongrass dressing is quite versatile.

This winged bean salad 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 light meal.

Winged Bean salad with coconut, lemongrass and cashews

Serves 2

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Wing Bean salad with Coconut and Cashews

Yield: 2

Author: Dee Kirk

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.

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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

Instructions

1. 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.
2. Toast the coconut with the remaining lemongrass in a dry pan, stirring continuously until it starts to brown but do not let it burn.
3. 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.
4. 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.

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Winged bean salad with coconut, lemongrass and cashews served with grilled prawns