Ingredients:

  • 2 cups (200g) shredded green papaya (unripe)
  • ½ cup (50g) shredded carrot
  • 4 oz (115g) yardlong beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 5-6 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 tbsp (15g) dried shrimp
  • 2 cloves (6g) garlic
  • 2-4 Thai bird's eye chilies
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp (15g) palm sugar, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp (20g) roasted peanuts, unsalted
  • Fresh cilantro or mint for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Use a mandoline or julienne peeler to create thin, matchstick sized strips of green papaya and carrot. Set these aside in a bowl.
  2. Add the garlic and Thai chilies to the mortar. Pound them into a coarse paste until you smell that sharp, pungent aroma.
  3. Add the palm sugar to the mortar. Pound it into the garlic and chilies until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
  4. Add the yardlong beans and dried shrimp. Pound lightly just to crack the beans, not mash them.
  5. Pour in the fish sauce and lime juice. Stir with the pestle to combine these into a zesty liquid.
  6. Add the shredded papaya and carrots. Use a rhythmic 'pound and toss' motion, pounding with the pestle while stirring with a spoon for 1-2 minutes.
  7. Continue pounding until the papaya looks slightly translucent and smells fragrant.
  8. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and roasted peanuts.
  9. Give everything one final, gentle toss. Use the pestle to lightly press the tomatoes until they just start to release their juices.
  10. Garnish with fresh cilantro or mint and serve immediately.