Vietnamese Charred Long Bean and Shrimp Paste Dip

Name: Vietnamese Charred Long Bean and Shrimp Paste Dip
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 8 oz (225 g) long beans (yard-long beans), trimmed, left whole; 1½ tbsp (24 g) shrimp paste (mắm tôm); 3 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, peeled, roughly chopped; 2 whole (8 g) bird's eye chilis, roughly chopped (seeds and all for heat); 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice, freshly squeezed; ½ tsp (2½ g) palm sugar (or light brown sugar); ½ tsp (2½ ml) fish sauce (nước mắm) (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A pungent, smoky dip with charred long beans and fermented shrimp paste (mắm tôm), balanced by the brightness of lime and heat from bird's eye chili. Traditional method uses a mortar and pestle to pound ingredients into a paste; serve as a dip for fresh vegetables or alongside grilled meats. The charring adds deep umami and slight bitterness that complements the funkiness of shrimp paste.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 8 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 23 min
Makes: 1 cup (240 ml) dip

Save to My Kitchen Jump to recipe

Steps

Before you start

Have a mortar and pestle or food processor ready
Arrange a cutting board and knife for long beans
Open windows or turn on ventilation—shrimp paste is very pungent
Gather fresh bird's eye chilis or Thai chilis

1
Char the long beans
- Heat a large dry skillet or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat for 2 minutes until very hot.
- Add the trimmed long beans in a single layer (work in batches if needed) and char for 6–8 minutes, stirring and rolling them every 1–2 minutes so they blister and blacken on all sides.
- They should be soft and deeply charred in spots but still have some structure.
- Transfer to a cutting board to cool for 5 minutes.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Beans are soft, blistered, and deeply charred on all sides; some blackening is desired
Tip: Don't move the beans too early—let them sit for 30 seconds per side to develop char and smoky flavor
2
Chop charred beans
- Once cooled slightly, cut the charred long beans into rough 1-inch pieces, discarding the stem and tail ends.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Beans are cut into uniform rough pieces
3
Pound in mortar and pestle
- Add the shrimp paste and chopped garlic to a mortar.
- Pound for 1–2 minutes with the pestle, using firm downward and grinding motions, until the shrimp paste breaks down slightly and the garlic releases its oils.
- The mixture should become fragrant and slightly spreadable.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Shrimp paste softens and garlic oils are released; mixture smells pungent and aromatic
Tip: If using a food processor, pulse briefly—don't over-blend or the texture becomes too smooth. A mortar and pestle gives the best authentic texture.
4
Add chilis
- Add the roughly chopped bird's eye chilis to the mortar and pound for 30 seconds, crushing them slightly to release heat and capsaicin oil without making the dip completely smooth.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Chilis are crushed and broken down; mixture is slightly more liquid from chili oil
Tip: Wear gloves or wash hands immediately after handling chilis to avoid burning your eyes or face
5
Add charred beans and lime
- Add the chopped charred long beans, lime juice, and palm sugar to the mortar.
- Pound and fold the mixture together for 1–2 minutes with a gentle crushing motion, breaking the beans down slightly while maintaining some texture.
- The beans should become slightly soft and release their juices, forming a chunky, cohesive paste.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Long beans are mostly broken down but still chunky; mixture holds together and is moist from bean and lime juices
Tip: The goal is not a smooth paste—you want to feel the texture of the beans and char. Stop pounding before it becomes homogenous.
6
Taste and adjust
- Transfer to a small bowl.
- Taste and stir in fish sauce (0.5 tsp) if desired for additional savory depth (some prefer the funkiness of shrimp paste alone).
- Add more lime juice, sugar, or chilis to balance the saltiness and funkiness of the shrimp paste.
- The dip should be assertively savory, slightly funky, spicy, and bright.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Flavors are balanced to your taste; dip tastes spicy, salty, sour, and aromatic
Tip: Start with fish sauce sparingly—it's salty and can overpower the other flavors. You can always add more, but you cannot remove it.

Good to know

Tips

Shrimp paste (mắm tôm) is pungent and fermented—if you dislike intense fishy flavors, reduce to 1 tbsp (16 g) and increase fish sauce for a gentler approach.
The mortar-and-pestle method yields better texture than a food processor, which tends to over-blend the beans into mush. Work in batches or use a large mortar.
Char the long beans at high heat to develop deep umami and a bitter edge that balances the funk of shrimp paste. Avoid steaming or boiling them.
Serve with fresh cucumber slices, bell pepper strips, cabbage leaves, or as a condiment with grilled chicken, pork, or shrimp.

Make ahead

Charred long beans can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead, covered, at room temperature. Assemble the dip just before serving so the flavors stay bright and the beans maintain their charred texture.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The dip will darken and the flavors will meld and deepen over time. Bring to room temperature or reheat gently in a small saucepan over low heat for 2–3 minutes before serving, stirring often. Do not freeze.

Substitutions

long beans (yard-long beans) → Asparagus or green beans (thin, tender varieties). Use the same weight; char for 4–6 minutes depending on thickness. Flavor will be milder and less smoky.
bird's eye chilis → Thai red chilis or 1 tsp sambal oelek. Thai reds are milder; add more for equivalent heat. Sambal provides a fermented background note.
shrimp paste (mắm tôm) → Anchovy paste (1 tbsp / 15 g). Less funky and salty; use less fish sauce if substituting. The dip will be less authentic but milder.
palm sugar (or light brown sugar) → Light brown sugar or honey (0.5 tsp / 3 g honey). Subtle difference in sweetness; honey adds slight floral notes. White sugar is too sharp.