Ingredients:

  • 1 lb (450g) green papaya, peeled and shredded
  • 1/2 cup (60g) carrots, julienned
  • 4 oz (115g) long beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup (75g) cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 cup (35g) roasted peanuts, unsalted
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp (30ml) fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp (15g) palm sugar
  • 2 cloves (6g) garlic, peeled
  • 3 Thai bird's eye chilies, sliced

Instructions:

  1. Shred the green papaya and carrots into thin, matchstick-sized strips. Place them in a large bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to maximize crispness, then drain and pat dry.
  2. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and chilies into a coarse paste. Add the palm sugar and use the pestle to crush the sugar crystals.
  3. Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice, mixing until the sugar is completely dissolved and the dressing smells sharp and aromatic.
  4. Add the long beans and peanuts to the mortar (or bowl) and lightly bruise them with the pestle.
  5. Add the shredded papaya, carrots, and tomatoes. Toss and lightly pound for 30 seconds to allow the vegetables to absorb the dressing while maintaining their snap.