This is one of my favorite salads. Its great as an appetizer, lunch or side dish to most boiled or grilled seafood meals.
Thai Green Papaya Salad
ingredients:
1 large green papaya (if you have an Asian or Indian market near you they will likely have it pre-shredded)
6 or so cherry tomatos (halved and seeded)
1 Thai chili pepper (or any chili of your liking)
cilantro
thai basil
2 cloves garlic
roasted and crushed peanuts
*boiled, peeled and halved med. sized shrimp (optional)
*fruit flavored beef jerky (optional, also avalible at most Asian markets)
Vietnamese sweet & sour sauce
*this is a thin sauce unlike the Chinese style, great on salads too!
ingredients:
simple syrup (equal parts water and sugar, about 1 cup each for this recipe)
2 garlic cloves smashed and finely chopped
1 tsp chili paste ( adjust to your heat level)
2 limes, juiced and seeds removed
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup fish sauce
Siracha hot sauce (optional, season to taste)
Tamarind (fresh or dried) ^this is needed for this dish b/c it should have a markedly tart taste to it.
boil water and add sugar to make simple syrup, stir to dissolve completely. Remove from heat. After you've allowed it to cool a little add all other ingredients. strip flesh from tamarind fruit, discard seeds and smash to a thin paste, add last. this sauce should be made to your liking, meaning play with the amts of each ingredients to get what you like. more sugar for sweet, lime for tart, fish sauce if too bland etc.
This usually taste best if you have a large mortar and pestal, however a meat tenderizer mallot works just fine
Shred or finely julienne papaya, smash in mortar to release its juices. Do small batches at a time and collect juices. Give the tomatoes, garlic and pepper a little beating as well to release flavor. Place all ingredients in large shallow bowl or a deep dish except peanuts. Add sauce and toss well. Garnish with peanuts.
Some nice alternatives:
add a finely juliene granny smith apple
or shredded mango (green or ripe)
or finely sliced guava
or all of the above
