Sambal Green Beans Recipe

Trim and blanch

Trim the stem ends from the green beans and rinse. Bring 6 cups of water and 1 tsp salt to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add the green beans and blanch for 2–3 minutes until they turn bright green and are just tender-crisp.

Shock and drain

Immediately transfer the blanched beans to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking and preserve color. After 2 minutes, drain well and pat dry with a towel. Set aside.

Soak dried chilies

Remove stems and most seeds from the dried red chilies. Soak them in 1 cup of hot water for 15 minutes until softened. Reserve the soaking liquid.

Prepare aromatics

Peel the shallots and garlic. Roughly chop shallots, garlic, and fresh bird's eye chilies so they process evenly.

Blend the paste

In a small blender or mortar, combine soaked dried chilies (drained, reserving soaking liquid), fresh chilies, shallots, garlic, tamarind paste, palm sugar, and 2 tsp of the salt. Add 1–2 tablespoons of the reserved soaking liquid if needed to help blending. Process to a coarse paste (not completely smooth) that still has some texture.

Fry the paste

Heat 2 tbs neutral oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chili-shallot-garlic paste and sauté, stirring constantly, for 4–6 minutes until the raw aroma cooks off, the paste darkens slightly, and the oil starts to separate from the paste. Taste and add remaining 1 tsp salt and 1 tbs palm sugar if needed to balance heat and acidity. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.

Sauté beans with sambal

Heat 1 tbs vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the drained green beans and toss for 1 minute to warm. Spoon the sambal paste into the skillet and toss the beans to coat evenly. Sauté for 2–3 minutes more so the flavors meld and the beans are heated through but still slightly crisp.

Adjust seasoning & finish

Taste and adjust seasoning: add 1 tsp fish sauce or 1 tsp kecap manis for umami/sweetness if desired, and more lime juice for brightness. If using, stir in the toasted coconut flakes (kerisik) for a nutty richness. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds if using.

Serve

Transfer to a serving dish and serve warm or at room temperature as a side dish to rice and protein. Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.