Southeast Asia’s Love Fest with Papaya

I love to change out salads—from leafy greens, to coleslaw and now I’m really excited about green papaya salad. It’s soooo good! Great chewy texture, both complex and brightly dressed. It’s better the second and third days!

You might use the dressing below on any vegetable, raw or cooked. It has the classic balance of hot, sour, salty, and sweet.

INGREDIENTS:

•  garlic- 1 large
• salt- 1⁄4 tsp 
• peanuts- roasted, 1 TBS
• chilies- sliced, or chile flakes 
• sugar- 1 ⁄2 tsp
• soy sauce- 1 TBS
• lime juice- 2 TBS 
• olive oil- 3 TBS
• Worcestershire- 1 TBS 
• grape tomatoes-  8, coarsely chopped 
• carrots- or cooked green beans, or jicama, or daikon -1/2 pound, julienne strips
• papaya, green- 1 small, 4-5 cups, coarsely grated

GARNISH:

• roasted, chopped peanuts and lime wedges
• or toasted sesame seeds

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Use a blender or use a mortar and pestle and puree garlic, salt, peanuts, chilies, and sugar into a paste.
2. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in lime juice, olive oil, and Worcestershire sauce.
3. Lightly crush tomatoes then add to bowl along with carrots and toss. [Enjoy any variety of crisp-tender veggies.]
4. Peel and coarsely grate or julienne papaya.  
5. Add papaya to bowl and lightly toss. Taste for seasoning.
6. Sprinkle with peanuts and serve with lime wedges.