Thai Green Papaya Salad

I love this salad and it is so unexpected. I mean, who would think that you would make salad out of GREEN papaya, and then you put mint, basil and cilantro together, but that is typical of Thai food. I love ripe papaya made as a smoothie but GREEN papaya???  Yes, it works!

I have made the dressing with just garlic, fish sauce, lime juice and sweet chili sauce (egg roll sauce) in fact that is the easiest way for me to make it.  I wouldn't suggest using dried herb, I just don't think it would work.

The dish is made from unripe Southeast Asian papayas, which have firm, almost white flesh and white seeds.  I find them in an Asian market that I frequent.  I have also made this with Mexican papayas (in Mexico...I planned ahead and took some fish sauce and sweet chili sauce in my luggage) and I don’t mind if they have a little color to the flesh, however this dish is best with papaya that is very unripe.  I use a mandolin instead of a shredder because I like long, skinny, square pieces of papaya in this salad.  You may want to ask your grocer for unripened  fruit as they may not display them.  Just ask for the greenest papaya that they have.  He'll probably think you are strange but what do you have to loose?

One more thing...Fish Sauce!  Fish sauce is one of those mystery ingredients that you can't believe makes food taste so good.  It's like anchovies in Caesar Salad.  They carry fish sauce in my local market (Harmon's) along with all of the other ingredients as well.  I was shopping for fish sauce one day at the Asian market and the young proprietor of the Asian market suggested that I tried using fish sauce in dishes that aren't Asian yet need some saltiness.  I'm sure it would work I just haven't found the right thing to try it out with.

Green Papaya Salad with Shrimp

¼             pound   small shrimp (about 9), shelled

For dressing

1                           large garlic clove, forced through a garlic press

3             Tbsp      fresh lime juice

1 ½         Tbsp      Asian fish sauce (preferably nuoc mam)

1             Tbsp      sugar

1                          small thin fresh red or green Asian chili (1 to 2 inches long) or serrano chili, or to taste, seeded and chopped fine (wear rubber gloves)

I usually make the dressing by mixing fresh lime juice, fish sauce and sweet chili sauce.

For salad

3/4         lb            green papaya, peeled, seeded, and coarsely shredded  (about 3 cups)

1                              carrot, shredded fine

1/3         cup         Fresh Thai basil leaves, washed well and spun dry (regular fresh basil will work)

1/3         cup         fresh cilantro leaves, washed well and spun dry

1/3         cup         fresh mint leaves, washed well and spun dry

2            Tbsp       roasted peanuts, crushed

In a small saucepan of boiling salted water cook shrimp 45 seconds to 1 minute, or until cooked through. In a colander drain shrimp and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Halve shrimp horizontally and devein.

Make dressing:

In a large bowl whisk together dressing ingredients until sugar is dissolved.

Add shrimp, papaya, carrot, and herbs to dressing, tossing well.  Salad may be made 2 hours ahead and chilled, covered.  Bring salad to room temperature before serving.

Serve salad sprinkled with peanuts.

Serves 4.