Lemongrass Chilli Green Beans Stir Fry

Spicy, pungent and full of flavour, this delicious lemongrass chilli green beans stir fry is totally worth sharing with everyone.

Why You’ll Love Lemongrass Chilli Green Beans

When I made bun bo hue, a popular spicy Vietnamese beef noodle soup, at home for the first time, I learnt that you can make a lemongrass and garlic sate sauce to go with it.

We would have the bun bo hue sate on the side, and you can add as much as you like for extra flavour.

This spicy, pungent, flavourful condiment was so addictive; I decided to try bun bo hue sate with other dishes.

Since the flavour profile in this lemongrass recipe is quite complex, I wanted to match it with ingredients that can stand up to the intense flavours and carry them so they are not overpowered.

So green beans it was!

Popular in stir fry, green beans have a great crunchy texture, hold up to high heat and will not wilt. Deliciously fresh to match with the deep savoury flavours of the lemongrass chilli concoction.

End result = lemongrass chill green beans stir fry, a tasty Asian side dish that can definitely be the star of the show. One you will be sharing with family and friends all the time.

What is Bun Bo Hue Sate?

This spicy condiment is predominately made with finely chopped lemongrass, garlic and chilli. There are slight variations on what else is added to bun bo hue sate.

Some have added shallots or use fresh chilli. Whilst some recipes will use shrimp paste for salt; others might use fish sauce.

The cooking process uses low heat to coax the oils and flavours from the ingredients to create a flavourful paste.

Bun bo hue sate is our new favourite condiment. My kids eat it straight on steamed rice. I think they consider bun bo hue sate is the best Asian side dish.

Recipe Overview

Flavour/Texture: Green beans stir fry mixed with a collection of aromates and spices; the flavours are fragrant, pungent and definitely has a kick.

And because of the different ingredients you find in the bun bo hue sate, it also adds interesting textures with the crunchy green beans stir fry.

Ease: Most of the time is spent on the bun bo hue sate. I wouldn’t say it is difficult, but it needs a little effort. Once this is done, the rest is an easy stir fry.

Time: Stir fries are normally quick to do, but this dish takes a little longer to prepare because of the bun bo hue sate.

You can also easily prepare a bigger batch and have it ready anytime you feel like a green bean stir fry!

Ingredients

Ingredients you will need to make Lemongrass Chilli Green Beans Stir Fry:

Garlic: The garlic in this recipe adds aromatic flavour and crisps up as it is fried, providing a nutty texture.

Shallot: Some bun bo hue sate recipes do not include shallots, but I added this in as it softens the texture and adds a little natural sweetness.

Vegetable oil: A mild vegetable oil will be suitable for frying ingredients.

Lemongrass: Fresh lemongrass is better for this recipe. If you can’t find fresh lemongrass, try locating frozen lemongrass at your local Asian grocery store.

Dried chilli flakes: Generally, dried chilli is milder than fresh chillies regarding heat, but it can also depend on the type of chilli used. I love the heat it adds to the dish but also an element of smoky flavours.

Chilli oil: The version we want is the red chilli oil with no chillies or other ingredients mixed in. You can find this in larger supermarkets or your Asian grocery store.

Shrimp paste: Fermented shrimp and salt. A simple but intense concoction used in many Southeast Asian dishes. Adds delicious savoury flavour and depth to stir fries, sauces and marinades. Shrimp paste has quite a long fridge life as long as it is kept dry and not contaminated by other ingredients/sauces.

Green beans: Fresh green beans are great for stir-fry. When selecting your beans, choose ones that feel firm and crisp. They will snap easily. Avoid green beans with bruises or brown hues.

Variations and Substitutions

Substitute for green beans: Try okra stir fry or even zucchini with this recipe. I feel both these vegetables will be a good match with bun bo hue sate.

Other uses for bun bo hue sate: There so many uses for this paste. As it is formed based on bun bo hue sate, you can use it in a beef or pork noodle soup to add extra flavour.

Try with other vegetables like okra, zucchini or water spinach. Alternatively, can add to grilled chicken or pork chops as a marinade. My kids actually love it with just steamed rice.

Adjust the heat: You can increase the heat level by adjusting the amount of dried chilli flakes in the recipe.

Instructions

Step by step instructions for how to make Lemongrass Chilli Green Beans Stir Fry:

How to Make the Bun Bo Hue Sate

We will start the recipe by making bun bo hue sate first. Prepare all the ingredients before you begin to cook, including measuring the required amount of oils, chilli flakes and shrimp paste.

Best to keep an eye on the ingredients once you start frying to avoid burning.

You can use store bought minced garlic or make your own here. I would normally use my garlic presser or knife to mince garlic for small quantities, but for this quantity, it is far quicker to use a food processor to blitz the garlic gloves.

Peel garlic and place cloves in a food processor. Blitz until you get a fine breadcrumb consistency. It doesn’t have to be as fine as a minced paste.

Finely chop shallot.

Remove outer layers of lemongrass and trim the bottom. Finely chop lemongrass. If it is easier, you can also use food processor to blitz.

Measure out the vegetable oil, chilli oil, chilli flakes and shrimp paste required for the recipe.

In a medium sized saucepan over medium heat, add vegetable oil, minced garlic and chopped shallots together.

Fry gently until garlic and shallots are a light brown colour. Keep stirring to avoid the garlic and shallots from burning.

Scoop out garlic and shallots and set aside.

Add lemongrass and chilli flakes to vegetable oil and fry for 4-5 minutes. You will smell a beautiful lemongrass and garlic aroma from the oils.

Turn heat down to low, add garlic and shallots back into saucepan. Continue to fry for another couple of minutes or so.

Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in shrimp paste and mix well to make sure it is well combined with the other ingredients. I sometimes have to use a fork to help break down the shrimp paste and mix it well.

Return to low heat and fry for a few more minutes. Ensure the mixture is combined and forms a paste.

Turn off heat and add chilli oil to stop the cooking process. Mix well.

How to Make the Green Beans

Wash green beans and trim top and tails if required.

In a wok or large frypan, heat vegetable oil and then add green beans. Stir fry for 2 minutes or so, add water and continue to stir fry until the water has evaporated.

Add 3 tablespoons of bun bo hue sate to green beans. Sauté until the green beans are cooked and well coated. If you prefer more lemongrass chilli, adjust according to taste.

Remove from heat and transfer lemongrass chill green beans to a large dish.

Serve immediately.

This recipe will make approximately 200ml of bun bo hue sate, but you don’t need it all for the green beans stir fry. Any leftover can be stored in a clean and airtight jar in the fridge.

Great Mains for This Side Dish

Here are some Asian inspired dishes to go with Lemongrass Chilli Green Beans Stir Fry:

For all that extra lemongrass you may have, make this Lemongrass chicken rice bowl or perhaps this Vietnamese grilled pork. Both would be perfect with the green beans.

For a Malaysian dish, you can’t go past this beef rendang dish. Make sure you have some steaming hot rice to accompany these dishes!

Frequently Asked Questions

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It was so good to be able to find other uses for bun bo hue sate! Green beans are a great match. Now we can have the flavours of bun bo hue over and over again. And once you learn how to make it, I guarantee you won’t stop.

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