This long bean stir fry was always a favourite of mine when I was little. When I was asked, "what do you want for dinner?" I only ever had a few answers, and this was one of them. The crunchy beans and savoury, garlicky sauce were just so good on hot jasmine rice.
Back then we usually added some thinly sliced pork to make it a bit more substantial, but I changed that up to salted duck eggs which make it a little more interesting, but they are totally optional. Long beans are nuttier and firmer and green beans, but if you can't find them, try using French green beans (the skinnier ones) instead.
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Thai Long Bean Stir-Fry (pad tua fak yao)
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
Crunchy long beans in a garlicky, umami sauce is the perfect veggie dish for any Thai meal. The salted duck eggs give a salty punch, but are totally optional. You can use French green beans or even snap peas instead.
Ingredients
- 350 g long beans or French green beans, cut into 2 inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Golden Mountain sauce or fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon shrimp tomalley (“shrimp paste in oil”), optional
- 1 ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ¼ - ½ cup water
- 1 salted duck egg (optional)
- 2 tablespoon neutral oil
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- Jasmine rice for serving
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Instructions
In a small bowl mix together oyster sauce, soy sauce, Golden Mountain Sauce, shrimp paste (if using), ¼ cup of water, sugar and white pepper; stir until the sugar is dissolved.
If using salted duck eggs: Cut the salted duck egg in half right through the shell. Using a spoon, cut one half of the egg into chunks, and then use the same spoon to scoop out the chunks - these will get mixed into the stir fry. Scoop out the other half of the egg with a spoon in one piece, and then slice into wedges - we will use these to top the dish.
In a wok, over medium high heat, add the oil and the garlic, and stir until it starts to turn golden. Add the beans and the sauce mixture, then toss until the beans are done to your liking, 2-3 minutes, adding a splash more water if it dries up too much.
When done, toss in the chunks of salted duck eggs (if using) and stir just to mix. Plate and top with wedges of salted duck eggs. Serve with jasmine rice or as a side dish to any meal!
Tetsuro Shinoda says
Thanks for the reply.
By streaky, I was referring to the sinew like difficult to chew streaks you also get in celery. But I think a slightly longer cooking time has resolved the issue.
This recipe has become a new favorite in our house.
Tetsuro Shinoda says
Love the recipe!
However the long beans I got were a bit streaky. What is the remedy to this without losing the crunch? Parboiling or par frying? any suggestions
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Hi! I am not sure what you mean by "streaky" but if you mean they were too chewy, you can just cook them longer in the wok. Add more water if needed and cover. You'll lose the crunch slightly, but if you don't overdo it it should still be good.
Hendrik says
Wouldn't this go well with any kind of green, crispy veg? Like broad strips of green cabbage?
What to substitute for the salted egg, please?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
You can certainly try it with any other kinds of crispy vegetables. There is no substitute for salted egg, but you can simply omit them.
Pat says
This was delicious! I added shallots with the garlic. I didn’t have the salted duck egg but it was still tasty.
Futile Resistance says
Love this, even though I can almost never source long beans or duck eggs. Works just as well with green beans and a fried egg. Frankly, I prefer it with the runny yolk of a fried egg than the sliced yolk of a boiled egg. But to each their own. Regardless, this is a magnificent dish that doesn't take 40 mins peeling and chopping!
Deb says
Love this simple sauce!
Instead of egg I used sliced andouille sausage, browned and set aside before adding garlic to pan, then tossed back in at the end. Excellent dish!!