Green Papaya Salad from Thailand is a robust, healthy salad with exotic additions of peanuts, shrimp and Thai basil.
Asian salads are a spicy mix of fresh fruit, veggies and hot sauce.
This Green Papaya Salad is courtesy of the Northeastern region of Thailand that the locals refer to as "Isan" of which some of the delicacies are grasshoppers and snails. However, this salad has made its way into the mainstream and is served in restaurants in southern Thailand, too.
The Isan area is influenced by neighbouring Laos. Dill, known as pak chee Lao - Laotian coriander, is a popular garnish in this part of the country.
This recipe, from the NE of Thailand, is no exception (courtesy of Authentic Recipes From Thailand, by Sven Krauss, Laurent Ganguillet and Vira Sanguanwong - Periplus Editions). If you're in the mood to experiment with Asian salads, try out some Holiday Salads and the Bean Sprout and Green Bean Salad. A similar tasting recipe is Lemongrass Chicken.
INGREDIENTS
- 2-5 bird's eye chilis
- 2 tbsp unsalted roasted peanuts or cashew nuts
- 1 tbsp dried shrimp or prawns, soaked in warm water for 5 minutes and drained
- 5 cloves garlic
- 10 oz (300 grams) unripe green papaya, peeled and shredded
- ½ cup long or green beans, cut into ½-inch pieces
- 6 ripe cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp chopped palm sugar or dark brown sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 cups raw vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, asparagus, water spinach)
- 3 springs of Thai basil
METHOD
- Take the chilies, peanuts, dried shrimp and garlic and pound roughly in a martar and pestle or process in a blender. Make sure the mixture is coarse not smooth.
- Combine the mixture in a bowl with the papaya, beans and tomato. Mix well and add the lime juice, palm sugar and fish sauce.
- Serve accompanied by the other raw vegetables and sprigs of Thai basil.
Serves 4.
QUICK BITE: Fish sauce, or nam pla, is a keystone of Thai cooking. It's produced by fermenting anchovies with salt and beware, it is truly pungent. Other key ingredients include the peppery tasting Thai sweet basil (bai horapa), lemongrass (dta krai), kaffir lime leaves, galangal (Thai ginger), shallots, holy basil (bai gka-prao, used in stir-fries), turmeric, Thai oyster sauce (nam man hoi) and cilantro (pak chee), of which its seeds, leaves and stems are all used for curry pastes and soup stock.
Also taking the main stage is nam prik pao - a roasted chili paste that can be used as a condiment or spread. It's made from roasted red chilis, garlic, shallots, dried shrimp, tamarind, fish sauce and sugar.
Bon Appetit! Remember, sugary drinks can quell a fiery mouth.
