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First, discard any shriveled, less-than-fresh beans and then wash the remaining beans and
remove their stems and tips. Cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths and set aside
Prepare the flavoring paste by cutting off the hard, brown bottom and the bristly, greenish
top of the lemongrass, which should leave you with a pale white-and-lilac piece
about 5 inches long. Discard the 2 or 3 tough outer layers, and then cut
the lemongrass crosswise into slices 1/4 inch thick and set aside.
Place the shrimp paste in the center of a 5-inch square of aluminum
foil. Fold the edges of the foil over to form a small parcel, and press down with the heel
of your hand to flatten the shrimp paste into a disk 1/4 inch thick. Heat
a gas burner to medium-low or an electric burner to medium-high. Using apair of tongs
or 2 forks, place the sealed parcel directly on the heat source. Toast until the paste
begins to smoke and release a burning, shrimpy smell, about 1 1/2 minutes. With the
tongs or forks, turn the parcel over and toast the other side for another 1 1/2 minutes,
then turn off the burner. Again using the tongs or forks, remove the parcel and let cool
for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Carefully unwrap the foil; the edges of the disk should be
black-brown and toasry and the center should be golden with some black-brown
patches. Using a spoon, scrape the toasted shrimp paste into a small bowl and allow it to
cool for another 30 seconds. Discard the foil.
Place the toasted shrimp paste, lemongrass, shallots, chiles, candlenuts, and ginger in a
small food processor. Pulse until you have a srnooth paste the consistency of creamy
mashed potatoes, about I minute. Make sure that the lemongrass is well pulverized.
Coarsely ground pieces will be unpleasant in the final dish. If the paste won't purde
properly and repeatedly creeps up the side of the processor instead of grinding, add up
to 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time, periodically turning the processor off and
scraping the unground portions down toward the blade.
Heat the oil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Test to see if the oil is
the right temperarure by adding a pinch of the ground paste. The paste should sizzle
slightly around the edges, not fiy aggressively or sit motionless. When the oil is ready add
all the paste and saute, stirring as needed to prevent scorching, until the smell of raw shallots
subsides, the aroma of lemongrass takes over, and the paste begins to separate from
the oil, about 5 minutes. Be sure that the paste remains limp-it shouldn't be dry and
crustl Add the long beans and stir to combine with the paste and the oil.
Add the water and stir once more. Raise the heat to medium and allow the liquid to come
to a noisysimmer for about to seconds. Reduce the heat to medium-lowand cover the
pan. Simmer the beans, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to lose their rawness and
yield slightly to the prick of a fork, about 7 minures.
Remove the lid, raise the heat slighdy and continue simmering for another 2 minutes,
letting the liquid that remains in the pot cook away Add the sugar and soy sauce and
stir to combine. Allow the flavors to combine for r minute, then taste for salt and add a
pinch if needed. (The soy sauce will probably add enough salt) Continue cooking until
no sauce remains and the long beans are sauteing solely in oil, another 2 minutes or so,
By this point, the long beans should be well cooked and succulent, but they shouldn't be
mushy.
Tansfer the beans to a serving dish and let rest for at least 1o minutes before you eat
them, which will allow the tastes to intensify and blend. |
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