Corn and Long Bean Salad
At the end of the summer, I stock my freezer with loads of corn kernels from the farmers market, and I’m often looking for creative ways to use it. Especially in winter months I like to make this salad, which reminds me of the warm tropics of Indonesia. I use long beans, which are typical in Bali, but you can use fresh green beans instead. There’s a bit of chopping required for the dressing, so I recommend you double the batch as long as you’re making the mess! It goes well on roasted vegetables, potatoes, and spinach salad too.
Ingredients
Serves 6
Corn and Long Bean Salad:
1 cup corn kernels (frozen or fresh)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (plus 1 tablespoon)
12 ounces long beans, cut into 3” pieces
2 cups watercress leaves
2/3 cup grated coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 cup Thai basil leaves, torn
Dressing:
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1 teaspoon shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
2 red Bird’s eye chiles, minced
1/4 cup corn oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 kaffir lime leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Process
Corn and Long Bean Salad:
In a small saucepan add the corn and water to cover. Add 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt and bring to a simmer. After 5 minutes, remove from heat and drain. Let corn cool to room temperature. In a medium saucepan add 8 cups of water and 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil. Add the long beans and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and run cold water over the beans to cool them down. Spread them onto a towel-lined baking sheet to cool and dry. In a salad bowl, combine the corn, long beans, watercress, coconut, and basil.
Coconut and Spicy Dressing:
To make the dressing heat a medium skillet and add the coconut oil. When hot, add the shallots, garlic, ginger, and chiles. Sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute and remove from heat to cool completely. In a jar combine the sautéed mixture, corn oil, vinegar, lime leaves, palm sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover with a tight lid and shake until well combined. Pour over the vegetables and serve immediately.
