A wonderful way to balance holiday indulgences and alleviate guilt is to eat something cleansing. And why not start the year on a fresh, healthy note?
Green papaya salad, or som tum, is believed to have originated in Laos. I have never tasted a version of this salad that I don’t love, and I often make a meal out of it.
Green papaya has health benefits such as high fiber and vitamin content. But it’s the endless possibilities with this salad that make it most exciting.
On a basic level, fresh grated green papaya is tossed with chiles, dried shrimp, palm sugar and fresh garlic. Add grated carrots, cabbage, apple, green beans, cucumber or mango. The shrimp is delicious but not essential to the flavor; you could throw in copious amounts of grated, finely minced, or julienned ginger. Slice in some tomatoes for the acid, peanuts for crunch with herbs like cilantro or basil for aroma and you have a wonderful salad. Instead of peanuts, you could use cashews, sliced almonds or pine nuts. Switch out sugar for something as wholesome as honey or maple syrup. If you have extra papaya left over, use it in meat marinades as a tenderizer.
GREEN PAPAYA SALAD
Dressing:
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 4-inch piece of ginger, peeled and julienned
3 tablespoons honey
Juice from 2 to 3 lemons (or more to taste)
2 teaspoons sea salt
4 cups grated or julienned green papaya
1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage
1 small serrano pepper, minced
1 cup finely chopped cilantro, leaves and stems
1 loose cup mint leaves
3 tablespoons pine nuts
Instructions: To make the dressing, over high heat on small frying pan, warm the sesame oil and pop the mustard seeds. This will take just a few seconds; immediately turn the heat off and pull the pan off the stove. Combine with ginger, honey, lemon juice and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the papaya, cabbage, serrano, cilantro and mint leaves and pour the dressing over. Stir for a minute or two then let the salad marinate at room temperature for an hour or so before serving it. Add the pine nuts at the end. Taste for balance. The salad keeps in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
Notes & variations
• Green papaya is available at most mainstream grocers and at all Asian, Latin or Indian grocery stores.
• To add even more intensity in flavor, add a pinch of asafetida to the oil while popping the mustard seeds.
Serves 4 to 6
From chef Anita Jaisinghani
Collected by Cookingtom
Original Article
I’m Brian Danny Max, a chef and a writer at cookingtom.com. I’m here to talk about food and cooking, and to share some of my favorite recipes with you all! I’ve been interested in food and cooking since I was a child. My parents are both great cooks, and they taught me a lot about the kitchen. I’ve been cooking professionally for about 10 years now, and I’ve loved every minute of it! I specialize in healthy, flavorful recipes that are easy to make at home. I believe that anyone can cook a delicious meal, no matter their skill level. I’m here to help you learn how to cook, and to show you that it’s not as difficult as you might think! I hope you’ll check out my blog and my recipes, and I look forward to hearing from you!