Thai: Green Papaya Salad

Recipe by Paul Young <info@cooking-with-paul.com>

(serves 4)

This zesty Southeast Asian salad originated in Laos, but is also very popular in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. Unlike ripe papaya, which is sweet and orange-red with black seeds, green papaya is simply unripe papaya with has a firm, pale green flesh and white seeds. When dressed with a sweet-and-sour dressing and tossed with other colorful veggies, this salad comes alive. Thai cuisine is spicy, so they like to also add fresh chili peppers, but you can control the amount of spiciness by adding just the right amount for your tastes. Tip: The 1993 Vietnamese film The Scent of Green Papaya has an excellent scene where the main character demonstrates how to make this dish.  

Ingredients:

• ½ medium green (unripe) papaya (about 1½ lbs)
• Juice of one fresh lime
• 3 tablespoons (approx) Thai fish sauce (“nam pla”)
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 3 fresh garlic cloves, minced
• 3 tablespoons agave nectar
• ½ cup matchstick carrots (optional)
• Red or green leaf lettuce for serving (optional)
• 16 grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoon dry-roasted salted peanuts, crushed
• 1 fresh serrano pepper, thinly sliced

Procedure:

1. Peel and coarsely grate or shred papaya, discarding seeds and inner membrane (there should be 4 to 6 cups), set aside
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix lime juice, tomato paste, garlic, agave nectar
3. Add grated papaya and carrots (if desired), toss
4. Slowly season with fish sauce, taste for saltiness and adjust
5. Line serving bowl with lettuce leaves
6. Mound tossed papaya on top of lettuce
7. Top with sliced grape tomatoes, sprinkle with peanuts and sliced serrano peppers