Thai Papaya Salad

[GotGarlic]

Thai Papaya Salad
Adapted from "Step-by-Step Thai Cooking"

1 medium papaya, about 1 1/2 pounds
1/4 cup Chinese dried shrimp
1 tsp. mashed garlic
6 tbsp. lime or lemon juice
6 tbsp. fish sauce
1-2 tsp. sugar
1-4 tsp. sweet chile sauce
4 lettuce leaves and 2 green onions, for garnish

Cut green onions into matchstick-size pieces and set aside. Peel, seed and cube papaya. Soak shrimp in hot water for 10 minutes, drain. In a food processor, combine shrimp and garlic; process till finely chopped. Add 3 tbsp. lemon or lime juice and 3 tbsp. fish sauce. Process till smooth.

Toss shrimp mixture with papaya. Add remaining citrus juice and fish sauce and 1 tsp. each sugar and sweet chile sauce. Toss gently to coat papaya with sauce. Taste and add additional sugar and/or chile sauce, if needed.

Line a serving plate with lettuce leaves and pile papaya on the plate. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.

 

[Snip 13]

This sounds delicious Do you soak the shrimp? I'm a bit confused. You say use dried shrimp and drain the shrimp.

P.S Do you use green or ripe papaya?

 

[GotGarlic]

Oops, thanks for the catch - I missed a step. Yes, the shrimp should be soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, then drained. I use ripe papaya.

Could a mod fix the recipe, please?

 

[jennyema]

Just a note: This salad (Som Tam) is made with unripe green papayas.

Regarding the shrimp, it's used dry. And I generally use about a T, as it can be strong tasting.

 

[GotGarlic]

Just a note: This salad (Som Tam) is made with unripe green papayas.

Regarding the shrimp, it's used dry. And I generally use about a T, as it can be strong tasting.

Well, the photo in the book shows an orange papaya and I'm pretty sure that's what I had in a local Thai restaurant, but a Google search shows that most papaya salad recipes use green papaya. So use your favorite, I guess And the recipe does specify to soak the shrimp, then drain and use. What can I say? Regional variations?

 

[Snip 13]

Oops, thanks for the catch - I missed a step. Yes, the shrimp should be soaked in hot water for 10 minutes, then drained. I use ripe papaya.

Could a mod fix the recipe, please?

Thanks for clearing that up
I'll have to try this while we still have papaya in season. I've never made Thai salad with ripe papaya so it will be a nice change

 

[buckytom]

yum, gg. looks good.

just like a plantain, there's an infinite range between green and ripe.it depends on taste, but i like to err a little on the side of sweeter/ripe but still firm.

 

[Kylie1969]

Sounds nice GG

 

[frenchguycooking]

Thanks for the recipe GotGarlic ! I love thai food it is totally delicious
One question : When you write sweet chili sauce, is Sriracha ok ?

 

[GotGarlic]

Thanks for the recipe GotGarlic ! I love thai food it is totally delicious
One question : When you write sweet chili sauce, is Sriracha ok ?

Sure, that's fine. Enjoy