Green Papaya Salad
 
 
Serves: 2-3
Ingredients
  • 2 stemmed red Thai chilies
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 small lime, preferably a Key lime, halved through the stem
  • 5-6 long beans, cut into 2-inch pieces, about ½ cup
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice, preferably Key lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Tamarind water *
  • 4 ounces peeled julienned green papaya, about 1½ cups, lightly packed
  • ½ carrot, julienned
  • ¼ cup grape tomatoes, halved
  • 2 heaping tablespoons unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Instructions
  1. Remove seeds from the Thai chili peppers and slice in half lengthwise. Slice the garlic clove in half lengthwise.
  2. Combine the chili peppers, garlic, and sugar in a large mortar and use a pestle to pound together until garlic and chili peppers become chunky and slightly mashed. There should still be small pieces of garlic and chili peppers remaining.
  3. Cut one of the lime halves into 3 wedges and add to the garlic and chili peppers. Lightly pound on the lime wedges to release some of the juice.
  4. Add the lime juice, fish sauce, tamarind water. Use pestle to mix sauce together.
  5. Add the long beans and lightly pound to slightly bruise them. Add the papaya and carrots and barely pound to slightly bruise the papaya. Use a wooden spoon to toss salad together, making sure that the sauce on the bottom becomes well incorporated with the vegetables.
  6. Add the tomatoes and peanuts and toss once again. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with some extra peanuts.
Notes
* To make tamarind water, combine 4 tsp of tamarind with ¾ cup boiling hot water. Let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes, breaking up the tamarind as it softens. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and press on the tamarind solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Extra tamarind water can be saved for up to a week in the refrigerator. Stir well before each use.

Adapted from Andy Ricker's Pok Pok
Recipe by at https://dev.gatheranddine.com/green-papaya-salad/