Green Bean Salad {Thai-Inspired}

I attended recently a Thai-cuisine course and, even though I left agitated due to the (pointless and annoying) efforts of the teacher to brainwash me with how awesome cilantro is (eew!), I did get the chance to taste a delicious salad.

The title says “Thai-inspired” because there were ingredients in the original recipe that I skipped in this one. Either because I didn’t have them at hand or because I felt I’ll like it more without them. Also, the onions were fried crunchy, but I opted for simply caramelizing them.

But no worries! I will give you the full recipe at the end of the post, mentioning the ingredients I didn’t use.

Start by caramelizing the onions, because this is the part that takes longer. I have shown two more times how I do this, so you can go here and take a look!

In the meantime, wash the green beans, cut the tips, slice them into thin strips and then diagonally.

(I am pretty sure they will taste the same if you slice them as you wish, but I’m telling you how I did it. You need to end up with small pieces though.)

Put the beans to boil for 6-8 minutes. They should remain quite crunchy, it really gives a different taste and feeling to the salad! Take them out of the water when they are ready, and wash them with some cold water. It will stop the further softening.

Put the shredded coconut in a non-stick pan and let it toast, mixing several times to avoid burning it.

Prepare the dressing in a bowl, and you are ready to assemble the salad!

Put the beans in a large bowl.

Drizzle with the dressing. Mix well.

Sprinkle the toasted coconut.

Top with the caramelized onions. Done!

There you have a delicious, healthy, filling salad that you can have as main course (I did!) or as a side!

I have to tell you that the next day I added tuna to the leftover salad and I still loved it!

Have a nice day!

Ingredients

Serves 2-3 people (or more if used as a side)

500g green beans

3 medium-large onions (I used the Figueras ones, naturally sweet, very tasty)

3 tbsps olive oil (for caramelizing the onions)

Around ⅓ cup shredded coconut

For the dressing

Juice of 1 lemon (or lime)

1 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsps soy sauce

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped (I didn’t include it)

1 chilli pepper, no seeds, finely chopped (I didn’t include it)

1-2 tbsps Nam Pla (fish sauce) (I didn’t include it)

Quick Instructions

Start by caramelizing the onions. You can go here and take a look.

Note: The original recipe calls for slowly frying the onions in a lot of vegetable oil (at 170ºC, 340ºF), for around 30min until they get brown. Then place them on absorbent paper and let them cool. They will get crunchy while cooling.

In the meantime, wash the green beans, cut the tips, slice them into thin strips and then diagonally. Boil for 6-8 minutes. They should remain quite crunchy. Take them out of the hot water when they are ready, and wash them with some cold water. It will stop the further softening.

Put the shredded coconut in a non-stick pan and let it toast, mixing several times to avoid burning it.

Prepare the dressing by mixing all the ingredients in a bowl. Make sure the sugar has melted before you pour it on the salad.

Put the beans in a large bowl and add the dressing. Mix well. Sprinkle the toasted coconut and top with the caramelized onions.