YUM YAI SALAD

Steps:

• Whisk together the Nam Prik Pao, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and chopped chile if you're using it; set aside. Use a vegetable peeler to slice the cucumber and carrots into long ribbons; set them aside.
• Put the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. While it heats, lightly whisk together the ice water, flour and egg yolk in a medium bowl; the batter should be lumpy and quite thin. When the oil is ready for frying, start dipping the whole leaves (one at a time) into the batter to coat, and carefully add them to the oil, making sure not to crowd the pan; fingers or chopsticks are the best tools for the job. Fry the leaves in batches, turning once, until golden brown and crisp, just a few minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the leaves to paper towels to drain; repeat the process until you have fried all of the leaves.
• To assemble the salad, start layering the ingredients in a large shallow bowl or onto a platter. The beans are best on the bottom because they're the heaviest, and the tempura leaves should go mostly on top so they remain crisp; otherwise, the order is up to you. Drizzle each layer with some of the dressing as you go; serve immediately.