📝 About This Recipe
Transport your senses to the sun-drenched coastlines of Southern Thailand with this bold, aromatic masterpiece. Pad Sataw is a culinary icon known for its unique 'stink beans' (Sataw), which offer a satisfying crunch and a complex, nutty bitterness that perfectly balances the fiery heat of bird's eye chilies and the savory depth of fermented shrimp paste. Paired with succulent, snappy shrimp and a splash of lime, this dish is a masterclass in the Thai philosophy of balancing salty, spicy, and sour notes.
🥗 Ingredients
The Aromatics (Chili-Garlic Paste)
- 5-6 pieces Garlic cloves (peeled)
- 5-10 pieces Thai Bird's Eye Chilies (adjust to your heat preference)
- 2-3 pieces Shallots (roughly chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Fermented Shrimp Paste (Kapi) (high quality, toasted for better flavor)
Main Ingredients
- 1.5 cups Stink Beans (Sataw) (halved lengthwise, fresh or frozen)
- 12-15 pieces Large Shrimp (peeled and deveined, tails left on)
- 100 grams Ground Pork (optional, for extra texture and fat)
- 1 piece Red Spur Chili (sliced diagonally for color)
- 3-4 pieces Makrut Lime Leaves (torn into small pieces)
- 2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil (neutral oil like canola or sunflower)
The Seasoning Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Fish Sauce (to taste, as shrimp paste is already salty)
- 1 teaspoon Palm Sugar (finely shaved)
- 1 tablespoon Lime Juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 tablespoons Water or Chicken Stock (to create a light sauce)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Prepare the aromatics: Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic, bird's eye chilies, and shallots into a coarse, vibrant paste.
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2
Add the fermented shrimp paste (Kapi) to the mortar and pound gently until fully integrated into the chili-garlic mixture.
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3
If using frozen Sataw beans, thaw them and soak in room temperature water for 10 minutes to revive their crunch. Drain well.
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4
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
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5
Add the prepared chili-shrimp paste mixture to the hot oil. Stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until the paste is fragrant and the raw smell of the garlic has dissipated. Be careful not to burn it.
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6
Add the ground pork (if using) and stir-fry, breaking it up with your spatula, until it is mostly cooked through.
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7
Increase the heat to high and add the shrimp. Stir-fry for about 1 minute until they just start to turn pink.
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8
Toss in the Sataw beans and the sliced red spur chili. Stir-fry vigorously for 1-2 minutes. You want the beans to be bright green and slightly softened but still retain a distinct snap.
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9
Add the oyster sauce, fish sauce, palm sugar, and water/stock. Continue to stir-fry for another minute, ensuring the sauce coats every bean and shrimp.
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10
Throw in the torn makrut lime leaves and give it one final quick toss to release their citrusy oils.
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11
Turn off the heat and immediately stir in the fresh lime juice. This preserves the brightness of the acid.
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12
Taste and adjust: Add a splash more fish sauce if you need salt, or a pinch of sugar to balance the heat. Transfer to a serving plate and serve immediately while steaming hot.
💡 Chef's Tips
For the best flavor, lightly toast the shrimp paste in a piece of foil over an open flame for 30 seconds before pounding it. If you cannot find fresh Sataw, frozen ones work well—just ensure they are fully drained and patted dry to prevent a soggy stir-fry. Don't overcook the shrimp; they should be 'C' shaped and snappy, not 'O' shaped and rubbery. Ensure your wok is very hot before adding the beans to achieve that signature 'wok hei' (breath of the wok) charred aroma. If the smell of Sataw is too strong for you, soaking the peeled beans in salt water for 10 minutes can help mellow the aroma.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a generous portion of steaming jasmine rice to soak up the savory, spicy sauce. Pair with a Thai-style crispy fried egg (Kai Dao) with a runny yolk to help cut through the heat. A side of fresh cucumber slices and raw long beans provides a cooling contrast to the intense Southern flavors. Enjoy with a cold Thai iced tea or a crisp lager to balance the spiciness of the bird's eye chilies. Serve as part of a larger family-style meal alongside a mild soup like Tom Kha Gai.