Simple Thai Long Bean Salad (Tum Tua)
It took me a while to get the simplified version of Som Tum Tua or the Thai Long Bean Salad just right. This version still packs that same punchy, savory, and refreshing flavor but uses ingredients you can easily find in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores. If you love papaya salad, you’ll definitely enjoy this one with its crunch and bright flavors.
Ingredients and Substitutes
- Garlic: Use peeled fresh garlic cloves for the most aromatic base.
- Thai Chili (fresh or dry): You can use fresh or dry chili. Start with one and see your spice tolerant.
- Long Beans: These are slightly firmer and nuttier than green beans. If unavailable, use fresh green beans. They’re the perfect substitute.
- Roasted Peanuts: Add both crunch and nutty flavor to the salad.
- Cherry Tomatoes: Sweet and juicy cherry tomatoes balance the heat and saltiness. Grape tomatoes work well too.
- Sugar: Palm sugar adds authentic depth, but brown sugar or white sugar works in a pinch.
- Fish Sauce: This provides the savory umami backbone of the dressing. For vegetarian options, vegan “fish” sauce.
- Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice brightens everything up. Don’t skip it!
How to Make Thai Long Bean Salad
- Step 1: In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and Thai chili together until roughly crushed.
- Step 2: Add long beans and half of the roasted peanut and gently bruise them to release flavor without breaking them too much.
- Step 3: Toss in cherry tomatoes and lightly bruise them so they release some juice.
- Step 5: Add sugar and fish sauce, then continue pounding lightly to dissolve. Add lime juice and more roasted peanuts. Mix everything well with a spoon and taste to adjust seasoning.
Variations and Customizations
You can easily make this Thai Long Bean Salad your own! For an authentic street-style twist, add dried shrimp for umami depth or a teaspoon of Thai shrimp paste for bold flavor. If you love funky, traditional Lao-style salad, mix in a little Plara (Thai fermented fish sauce). For a slightly tangy sweetness, add Thai tamarind paste. Each addition gives the salad a unique regional character. Feel free to experiment until you find your favorite combination.
What to Serve with Thai Long Bean Salad
- Sticky Rice: The perfect pairing to soak up that tangy, spicy dressing.
- Thai Grilled Chicken (Gai Yang): Smoky and juicy—balances beautifully with the freshness of the salad.
- Thai Grilled Pork Skewers (Moo Ping): Slightly sweet pork complements the salad’s tang.
- Thai Fried Chicken: Crunchy, flavorful, and irresistible with a bite of spicy salad.
- Thai Beef Jerky (Neua Dad Deaw): Salty and chewy beef jerky pairs well with the bright flavors.
- Vietnamese Ham (Cha Lua or Thai Moo Yor): Mild, tender, and savory—it rounds out the meal nicely.
Simple Thai Long Bean Salad (Tum Tua)
It took me a while to get the simplified version of Som Tum Tua or the Thai Long Bean Salad just right. This version still packs that same punchy, savory, and refreshing flavor but uses ingredients you can easily find in the Asian aisle of most grocery stores. If you love papaya salad, you’ll definitely enjoy this one with its crunch and bright flavors.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 1 Thai chili (fresh or dry)(start with 1 and add more till your heart contents.)
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts
- 2 cups long bean (chop into 1 inch pieces) (You can substitute with green beans.)
- 9 cherry tomatoes
- 1 TBSP coconut sugar (or palm or regular table sugar)
- 2 TBSP fish sauce
- 1½ TBSP lime juce (juice from 1 lime) (or 1 TBSP lime juice and 1 TBSP tamarind paste)
Instructions
- Crush aromatics: In a mortar and pestle, pound garlic and Thai chilis until roughly crushed.
- Add long beans and half of the roasted peanuts: Chop the long beans into 1 inch pieces. Lightly bruise the long beans and roasted peanuts in the mortar to release flavor without crushing completely.
- Add tomatoes: Toss in the cherry tomatoes and bruise gently until they release some juice.
- Add seasonings: Add lime juice, sugar, and fish sauce, then continue pounding lightly until sugar dissolves.
- Finish the salad: Add more roasted peanuts. Mix everything well with a spoon and taste test. Enjoy!
Notes
Note 1: If you don’t have mortar and pestle, try bruising the long beans with a rolling pin on a cutting board. Chop other ingredients and mix everything in a bowl.
Note 2 :
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