SPICY THAI GREEN PAPAYA SALAD

Green papaya or raw papaya salad is a very popular one among the Thai dishes. The fresh red chillies add the zing to it. They are crushed in a pestle and mortar along with other ingredients used for the dressing and mixed with the grated green papaya. If you don't have a pestle you can chop just them very finely. Usually dried shrimps and peanuts are added to this salad and it is called "SomTumThai". But you can skip adding the shrimps if you like and just add the crushed peanuts as I have done.

Ingredients:

Green papaya ... 1 (peeled and grated about 2 cups)

Cherry tomatoes .. 4-5 (use normal one if you don't have the cherry tomatoes)

Green beans ....... 5-6

Bean sprouts ....... 1/2 cup

Fresh red chillies .. 1

Garlic .................... 1 clove

Lemon juice ......... 2 tbsps

Fish sauce ............. 1 tbsp

Palm sugar ........... 1 tbsp

Roasted and crushed peanuts .... 2 tbsps

Add salt only if you need as the fish sauce is salty.

Method:

1. Peel and grate the green papaya.

2. Boil the green beans lightly adding a little salt. They should remain crunchy and not overcooked. Cut them into 2 inch pieces.

3. Crush the red chillies and garlic. add the lemon juice, fish sauce and palm sugar. Mix them well. Add salt only if needed as the fish sauce is quite salty.

4. In a bowl mix the grated green papaya, sprouts, beans and tomatoes. If using cherry tomatoes cut them into two or the normal one into thin slices.

5. Add the prepared dressing and stir. 

6. Garnish with chilli slices.

Posted in: Indian Cook