As we continue with our Thai Cuisine series, let’s explore the wonderfully balanced flavors of the Thai Green (Raw) Papaya Salad. This recipe calls for few ingredients and is super simple to make as a fresh accompaniment for your Thai meal.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Chill Time: 30 mins to 1 hr
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients:
Raw Green Papaya – approx 2 lbs (1 Kg), peeled, de-seeded and shredded into long shreds
Thai Green Chilies – to taste
Garlic – 4 to 5 cloves
Lime Juice – 1/4 cup (from 2 large limes)
Palm Sugar – 4 Tbsp, packed (jaggery or brown sugar can be substituted)
Soy Sauce – 1 Tbsp (Fish Sauce can be used for authentic flavor)
Tomato – 1 medium, chopped into large pieces
Salt – optional or to taste
Roasted Peanuts – 1/2 cup or to taste, crushed
Method:
1. In a mortar and pestle, crush the Green Chilies and Garlic into a paste.
2. In a small bowl, mix together Lime Juice, Palm Sugar and Soy Sauce. Allow the Palm Sugar to dissolve.
3. Slowly add the mixture into the crushed chilies/garlic and continue to mix well with the pestle until all the ingredients are well combined.
4. Pour the mixture (dressing) over the shredded papaya and gently incorporate it by using the pestle. Do not crush the papaya into pulp, gently press so the flavors from the dressing go in.
5. Add Tomato and continue to mix with the pestle.
6. Taste the salad and adjust salt if necessary.
7. Add roughly crushed Roasted Peanuts and mix.
8. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 mins to 1 hr before serving.
