Finally summer seems to be lingering in Montreal these days. We haven't hit the heat wave time, but the warmer weather inspires one to eat salads. I almost always eat salad, but now we are receiving better produce, so it's time to have more than lettuce.
I usually have a green papaya, or green mango salad, Thai style, only once a year. Why not more often? I just don't know. It's so refreshing and has flavors reminding me of my birth country, Thailand, where I resided for a mere four years. After that I became a full fledged Canadian losing touch with the flavors of the country. I became a foreigner to Thai food like everyone else around me.
Eventually after discovering Thai restaurants as an adult, I rekindled the memories of Thai food flavours. You could sum it up as sweet, salty, savoury, acidic and spicy. A full on flavor show for the palate.
The salad is inspired by what is called Som Tum. It is usually made with a fish sauce dressing. I have made my own dressing without fish sauce.
Fish sauce is something, which would drive a westerner away if they gave it a whiff. Of course a westerner that has explored foods of the world would understand.
I have purchased vegan fish sauce from an Asian store in the past, and it was not a great representation. It just tasted like salt and yeast extract. Yeast extract has a distinct taste to me and behaves much like MSG.
Recently I discovered fermented black bean sauce which is very salty and can add the umami to things. I use it in small amounts to not have it be obvious. This is my fish sauce replacement which of course is not entirely accurate.
The recipes for vegan fish sauce that I've tried, have not been very accurate either. This is my favourite substitute, if I do say so myself.
Papaya salad
Papaya 450 g
Carrots 80 g
Red peppers85 g
Cabbage 75 g
Cherry tomatoes 80 g
Dressing
I have a tool to make strips. This to me is a nice look. You can use a grater, a processor with a grater, or do it with a knife by hand. It should be very thin like a noodle.
After grating the papaya put it in ice water to crisp up. It really makes a difference. When you add the dressing it stays crispy.
Cut the carrot into the same strips. I suppose for this salad you could use whatever veggies you want.
Traditionally it would use long beans in addition to the papaya. This is not traditional since it's plant based, so I feel at liberty to do what I want to it.
I've chosen to add cabbage and sweet red pepper, along with cherry tomatoes. The tomatoes would be added traditionally.
Dressing
Soy sauce 30 g
Fermented black bean paste 25 g
Lime juice 10 g
Rice wine vinegar 40 g
Chilies 2 or 3 or to taste
Garlic 10 g
Maple syrup or other sweetener 60 g
Sesame oil 10 g
Neutral oil for salad 30 g
Traditionally this dressing would not have oil so it can be omitted. I just prefer to add fat to my dressings (and ultimately to myself, not that I like that part).
Blend ingredients until smooth. Coat the vegetables with the dressing. If you are not eating this right away, add the tomatoes and peppers closer to serving. They will get too soggy if they marinate too long. If you don't mind that then go ahead and add everything together.
I didn't use all of the dressing. I kept it to drizzle more at the end if I wanted more.
I decided to plate the salad in a fried rice paper bowl. This of course is totally optional. I thought it would be fun.
These rice papers are not the kind used for fresh spring rolls. These are thick and firm. They fry into a big puff so it should be cracked in half or in thirds. I did a third of a piece. When you place the pieces in the oil you should press down in the middle and the sides will curl up.
I'm sure some of you don't need this advice as you are probably familiar with this product. For me it is a discovery of recent years.
This is a fun way to eat a salad and if you have guests for a full dinner, it would be nice as a starter. You can make smaller cups if you have several other courses.
I topped it with toasted peanuts, fresh cilantro, and an extra squeeze of lime. If I had some Thai basil at the time, I would have used that as well as a garnish.
This may not be traditional enough for a Thai non vegan native. For me, it served up the savoury, acidic, salty and sweet flavours that come in a Thai Papaya salad.
Thanks for dropping by and have a great day.
design by: @KidSistersPhotos taken with a Nikon D7500 and are of my ownership.
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It looks great and refreshing. The dressing also looks like it could go with the crispy papaya.
Do you have a couple of quick goto dressings that you add to a salad?
Actually my go to regular everyday dressing, is dijon, olive oil, lemon juice, balsamic and herbs.
Oh, I can definitely see how miso and rice wine vinegar would mimic the fish sauce. I don't even care if fish sauce is in there tbh but I'm going to give this one a try. I love, love,love green papaya salad - so good.
Actually it's not miso. I have used miso in the past but I found a better solution and that is fermented black bean paste. It could be black soy beans but it's got a high salt factor compared to miso.
You're right though. Fish sauce doesn't need to be in there to be good.
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Thank you so much.
Very mouth watering creation! It’s time to have papaya salad!😂
You have the best one there. That is where I had the best one. It was at a vegan restaurant near Sukamvit.
Mom's cooking always invites my appetite, success is always my mother and always healthy 🥰
Thank you dear for your very nice comment.😊
You're welcome 🥰
What a nice recipe. This is so nutritious and healthy. I love salad too but the weather in my country is rainy now. I hope to start enjoying salad once summer hits. Thank you for sharing this unique vegetable salad. Hope you enjoyed.
Oh thank you for your lovely comment. Salads are great but here in Canada all of our produce is imported during the winter and even in summer we have mostly imports. I wish I were in a tropical place haha.
Thanks again for your kind words.
I will copy this recipe @carolynstahl
Oh that's wonderful. Thank you for the visit.
We have green papaya plant here. Thanks for this idea. I may do this recipe of yours at home.
How nice to live where papayas grow. Thank you for stopping by.
Thank you so much.
🤗🤗🤗✨
Thank you very much.
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Despite green mango being a favourite in certain local dishes (more specifically as relish) I still can't get my mind around unripe fruit in anything. But I would definitely eat this wonderful plate of delicious flavours. Love Thai flavours. LOVE miso. What a chef you are!
Actually green papaya taste like a tough cucumber haha. It's actually not miso. It's fermented black bean sauce. It may be soy beans but so much different from miso.
You are too kind to me. Thank you!!!!
:O this one really really surprised me, i had never seen one salad with green papaya before!
i'm really curious by this one... i had to try it out
It is a very popular Thai dish. I guess it's a good way to use green papaya.
Thank you for the visit.
It is a mouth-watering 😋dish as always. you make everything better than somebody else. Thanks for sharing dear friend. a hug💖
You are too kind my friend. It is very simple, but because I made it vegan, it takes more steps to make a replacement for fish sauce.
Thank you! 😊
This dish looks very delicious, I love adding fruits to salads, I feel it gives a fresh touch and a contrast that I really love. Papaya and passion fruit are my favorite fruits to add to salads.... Thank you very much for sharing this recipe with the magic that always accompanies you, I send you the biggest of hugs!
Oh wow passion fruit in a salad sounds so nice. I should try it. Yum. thanks for the idea my friend.
I send good wishes. Have a wonderful day. 😊❤️
I loved it:
I should be so lucky to try original Thai food some they, preferably in Thailand 😁
The puffed rice paper makes the dish look nice and fun; you can lift it up with the salad on top and have a wonderful bite. We have papaya everywhere around here; how come I've never tried to use it in salads. Unbelievable. Thank you so much for the idea; I must try it.
A little fat is good for dressings; it makes the aftertaste be more enjoyable. The rest is disgrace 🤣 I'm having a hard time trying to get rid of this fat. my dear friend. Pray for me, hahahaha. Big hug! 🖤