Salads
Green Papaya Salad
Shared by IGC member Barb Baird recipe courtesy of Thai Table
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon dried shrimp
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 clove garlic
6 green beans
2 cups shredded green papaya
3/4 lime
1 1/2 tablespoons Palm Sugar
2 tablespoons toasted peanuts Optional
Tips and Techniques
For a vegetarian som tum, omit the dried shrimp and substitute soy sauce for fish sauce.
Some people use tamarind in place of lime. Regular sugar can be substituted for palm sugar. I normally omit the peanuts because I prefer it without.
The balance of fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, and peppers listed here are guidelines. Som tum is an individual dish that you will find you might like yours with more, say, lime juice than what the recipe calls for.
Many Asian supermarkets have pre-shredded green papaya and that is what I use. However, if you can only find whole green papaya, the papaya can be peeled and shredded using a regular cheese grater with medium to large-sized holes. Or if you can find a papaya shredder, it works wonders. When you get closer to the center, you will see the white immature seeds inside. Stop and move onto another part of the papaya. Discard any seeds that got into your bowl. If you have a food processor with a grater, you can shred the papaya faster.
In Thailand, green papaya salad is made using a clay mortar, wooden pestle, and a spatula. Smash a clove of garlic first. Then add green beans and halved cherry tomatoes. Pound a few times just to bruise the beans and get the juice out of the tomatoes. Add chili peppers and crush them just enough to release the hotness, unless you like your salad really hot. Add the green papaya, dried shrimp, toasted peanuts, fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar. Use the pestle to push the mixture up in the mortar and the spatula to push it down so that the mixture is mixed well.
However, if you do not have a big enough mortar you can crush garlic, tomatoes, green beans. Set them aside in a large bowl. Add dried shrimp, fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar to the bowl. Add green papaya and mix well.
Serve with sticky rice and a sliver of cabbage, green beans, and Thai basil.
For som tum pbooh, omit the dried shrimp and toasted peanuts and add salted crabs instead. I microwave the salted crabs for 30 seconds before adding them to the papaya salad to kill any residual bacteria. Add only half of the fish sauce called for because the salted crab can be quite salty.
(Barb does not add the green beans but does add extra garlic. Also, the dried shrimp add great flavor. )
Lemon Vinaigrette
This easy lemon vinaigrette is a delicious and fresh edition for marinades and perfect for tossing with salads, roasted vegetables, and more!
Equipment
10 oz Mason Jar
Ingredients
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, grated
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon honey, or maple syrup, optional
1/4 to 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme, optional
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, mustard, salt, pepper, and honey, if using.
Drizzle in the olive oil while whisking and continue to whisk until the dressing is emulsified. Alternatively, combine everything in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake to combine.
If your dressing is too tangy, add more olive oil, to taste.
Add the thyme, if desired, and season to taste. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week. The olive oil will solidify a bit in the fridge. To soften, let the dressing sit at room temp for a few minutes and stir before using.
Notes
Makes 1/2 cup
Recipe courtesy of Love and Lemons
