Recipe courtesy Thai Square, a group of authentic Thai restaurants found throughout London.
Green Papaya Salad
Ingredients
2 cups raw unripe green papaya
3-4 garlic cloves 2 Thai chilies
1/2-cup beans
1/2-cup carrots
5 cherry tomatoes
2 tbsp roasted peanuts
2 tbsp coarsely chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp coarsely chopped Thai basil leaves
For the sauce
1/2 tbsp tamarind concentrate
Juice of 3 lemons
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp coconut sugar melted in
1 tbsp warm water
Method
• Peel and deseed the green papaya and julienne in to 2-3 inch long strips.
• Do the same with the carrots, cutting into a julienne of 2-3 inch long strips.
• Trim the ends from the beans and cut into 2 inch long segments.
• Peel and roughly chop the garlic cloves, then deseed the chilli and cut into thin slices.
• Half the cherry tomatoes.
• In a bowl, mix together all the sauce ingredients.
• Crush garlic and chilies together in a mortar and pestle until you get a very fine paste.
• Add the beans and green papaya and pound well. Add the carrots and bruise them nicely so that they absorb the flavours well.
• Pour the sauce on top and add the tomatoes, mix well.
• Transfer all of it in a covered bowl and leave it in the refrigerator for a few hours. This will allow the flavours to blend well.
• When you are ready to serve, top with the roasted peanuts, coriander and basil