As promised this is one of the recipes I made at My Grandma’s Home Cooking class in Hoi An, Vietnam, back in December. This dish was one of the best I’ve had during my entire stay in Vietnam – Vietnamese green papaya salad is refreshing and light, full of vitamins and fibres. It is a colourful healthy meal that can be prepared quickly for a light lunch or as a side. The crunchy roasted peanuts add some texture to the dish while the lime and chili dressing give it some zing.
Vietnamese Green Papaya Salad
Ingredients
- 100 g green papaya, shredded
- 50 g carrot, shredded
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tsp raw sugar
- 1 small red chili, finely chopped or sliced
- 1 clove of garlic, finely diced
- 5 cherry tomatoes
- A hand full of fresh mint
- A hand full of fresh coriander
- 2 tbsp roasted peanuts
- 1 tsp fried shallots (optional)
- 5 small prawn (or sliced pork) cooked in a fry-pan with a little turmeric powder (optional)
Method
- Place the shredded papaya and carrot in a large bowl, combine the two together using your hands
- Add the herbs, cherry tomatoes, peanuts, shallots and prawns
- Make a dressing with the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, chili and garlic
- Dress the salad just before serving
Tip: if you want a vegetarian version, leave the prawns out!
What is your favourite Vietnamese food?