I've come down from my Ivory Tower to give you the recipe for this delightful summer salad...one you must make before summer disappears...FYI, the first day of Fall is in 41 short days!! As you know, the mister is under an illusion that he is part Vietnamese...it's an illusion or full-on dementia, either way he simply cannot go ONE day without talking about Vietnam. I blame the Military Channel for this because thanks to that he can traipse down Memory Lane and re-fight the war on a nightly basis...I also blame the plethora of Asian restaurants and grocery stores in our area, all with flashing neon signs that say PHO...they are all triggers for the mister that make him think he is still in the jungle...and he begs to eat Vietnamese food all the time...so if you can't beat 'em...
The mister discovered Viet-Wah Asian Food Market on his way to work. When the mister has to go to Global Headquarters South he often takes the back roads (SR-908 through Renton) which take him right by this store. When I told the mister I wanted to go to an Asian market he couldn't wait to take me there - he was all twitterpated as we walked in the door. The mister practically skipped down the aisle, holding a little basket that he happily filled with whatever I pointed to. We went there for one thing - but came home with $75 worth of interesting things...basil-seed juice, banana flowers, lychee fruits, lime leaves and the green papaya we went for. (You can find green papaya at Hispanic and Asian markets and some larger grocery stores.)
Green papaya is an unripened papaya. Inside there are little pearls, they are removed and not eaten. The flesh of a green papaya is almost foamy and slightly firm. When used in a salad, the green papaya is crisp, refreshing and will take on the flavor of the dressing; on it's own it is almost tasteless, but it reminds me of a bland cucumber. I won't pretend green papayas are easy to work with - it's like peeling and slicing a butternut squash - kind of tough! I used a vegetable peeler to remove the peel and then used my mandolin to slice it thinly and then I julienned it into small match-sticks.
Green Papaya salad is a staple in Vietnamese and Thai cooking...and once you try it you'll know why 10 billion (give or take 5 billion) people, and the mister, love it!
Fresh green beans that have been blanched for a few minutes, mix with the papaya, tomato, green onion and basil - crispy and crunchy - two requirements for a salad, no? But that's not all...the salad is topped with peanuts and an Asian dressing that will have you begging for a spoon so you can scoop up every last drop!
I've made this three times in the last two weeks and have tweaked it until we think it's perfect. And it is the perfect summer salad - it's easy to make, bright and tasty and won't leave you feeling or looking like Jabba-the-Hut on a hot summer night!
Green Papaya Salad - Pots and Pins
1/2 medium green papaya, peeled, seeds removed, julienned (save other half for another salad next week!)
1 cup fresh green beans, stems removed, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 green onions
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil, roughly chopped
1/2 cup peanuts (I used salted dry-roasted peanuts)
Dressing:
1 Tablespoon Hoisin Sauce
1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
3 Tablespoons lime juice
1 Tablespoon honey
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (or more if you want some heat!)
In a small saucepan bring two cups water to the boil. Add green beans and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on high. Remove from heat, drain and run under cold water to stop cooking.
In a salad bowl combine julienned papaya pieces with green beans, onion, tomato, basil and toss to combine. Add peanuts and toss. In a small bowl combine all dressing ingredients, whisk together well; pour over salad and toss. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serves 4.
