Balinese coconut lawar salad (lawar buncis)

Lawar is a type of salad that hails from Bali, where it originated as a ceremonial dish – both as an offering and as a feast to be shared by the hundreds who visit the Hindu temples. There are many variations on the island, each with their own significant meaning.

Credit: Beyond Bali with Lara Lee

• serves

  2

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  25 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• Coconut oil or sunflower oil, for frying
• 1 long red chilli, deseeded, thinly sliced
• 180 g green beans, trimmed, cut into 2 cm lengths
• 100 g frozen podded edamame (or broad beans)
• 100 g snow peas, cut into matchsticks
• 2 makrut lime leaves (optional), stems removed, very finely chopped
• 1 lemongrass stalk, outer woody layers removed, very finely chopped
• 60 g desiccated coconut
• 2 tbsp fried shallots
• 1 tbsp fried garlic
• ¼ cup coriander leaves (or Chinese celery leaves)
• Zest and juice of 2 makrut limes (or standard limes)
• ¾ tsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• ¾ tsp sea salt

For the spice paste

• 30 g ginger, sliced
• 30 g galangal, woody stem removed, sliced (optional)
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 long red chillies, deseeded, sliced
• 2 small banana eschallots or 4 Thai shallots, peeled, sliced
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper

Instructions

1. Place the spice paste ingredients in a small food processor and blend to a smooth paste.
   
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the prepared spice paste and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant; take care as it burns easily! Remove the spice paste to a small bowl and allow to cool.
   
3. Heat another tablespoon of oil in the frying pan over a medium heat and add the chilli with a pinch of salt. Cook until softened and set aside.
   
4. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add the green beans and cook for 1-2 minutes until they are crisp, tender and bright green. Drain and refresh under cold running water. Set aside in a large bowl. Repeat with the edamame beans, cooking for 1-2 minutes. Once cool, add to the beans with the snow peas, lime leaves and lemongrass.
   
5. Mix the spice paste with the desiccated coconut, then stir it through the vegetables. Add the fried shallots, fried garlic and coriander (or Chinese celery leaves) and mix together. Add the fried chilli to taste (reserving some for garnish), then season to taste with the lime zest and juice, sugar and salt. Garnish with reserved chilli and serve.

Note

This serves 2 as as main, or 4 as a side dish.

Watch how to make this recipe on Episode 2 of Beyond Bali with Lara Lee, streaming free on SBS On Demand.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

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