Spicy Thai Style Green Papaya Salad

Spicy Thai Style Green Papaya Salad

(Delectable taste of the tropics in this green papaya salad)

“Sawadee Ka”

Papayas are delicious fruit, widely grown in Asia, South America and many other tropical areas of the world. Ripe papaya fruit is yellow-orange and very sweet, while the green unripened has a buttery texture. Seeds are edible peppery flavor tiny round black seeds.

Green Papaya is delicious eaten as is, or with a splash of fresh lime juice with salt and paprika. Ripe papaya is used in fruits salads, chutney and healthy smoothies

Thai cuisines became popular in International dining rooms around the world. Among their popular delicious dishes are Tom Yum Spicy Shrimp soup, traditional fried noodles Pad Thai, my favorite Pineapple shrimp fried rice, Tom Kha Kai or chicken curry in coconut milk, and red curry. Also refer to my my book “Home Cooking for Multicultural Gatherings” for my super flavorful Thai fish wrapped in Banana leaves.

Originating in South East Asia the Green papaya salad, also called Som Tam recipe is a perfect harmony of flavors; delicious fresh healthy ingredients, sweet and sour of palm sugar and tamarind, spice from red chili, pungent flavor from highly potent dried shrimp and topped with nutty crunch of peanuts. Like everything else there are several versions of this recipe. Enjoy!

Fresh Ingredients:

1         Papaya, medium size, (2 cups shredded)

1 cup  Carrots, shredder

10       Cherry Tomatoes, cut to half

1 cup  Thai snake beans or String Beans, chopped 1/2 inches
1-2      Red Thai Chili, sliced. Adjust to taste

2 tbs    Cilantro, finely chopped

2         Garlic cloves, peeled

Dry Ingredients:

1 tbs    Dried Shrimps, chopped or 1/2 tsp shrimp paste

1 tbs    Palm Sugar, pounded in mortar

Wet Ingredients:

1/2     Lime, juiced

1 tbs  Organic Fish Sauce

1 tbs  Tamarind juice

Garnish:

2 tbs  Peanuts, toasted and coarse

Preparation:

• Peel the green skin pf papaya and carrots
• Cut papaya lengthwise in half and discard seeds
• Using a peeler shred papaya and carrots
• Cut snake beans to half inch size and soak in hot water for one minute. Do not cook.

Method:

• Work in small batches depending on the size of mortar
• Using a large stone mortar with a pestle, gently pound garlic, chilies, dried shrimp and long beans, adding one at a time
• Add shredded green papaya and carrot. Gently bash and combine all flavors
• Add palm sugar, drizzle fish sauce and for acidity add tamarind juice and squish lime juice. Stir and gently pound to combine all flavors
• Dice and pond cherry tomatoes . Stir well to combine all juices. Taste and adjust spice and sourness to taste
• Transfer to a serving bowl lined with banana leaves and sprinkle crushed peanuts and finely chopped cilantro

Serves 6

Recipe By: Quddus Mohammed

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