Add a pop of color to your day. Photo: Pinterest/ Minimalist Baker.
By this point of winter (cough, cough, sorry this isn’t directed to you, Southern Hemi) your meals have likely become a bit bland. As the weather has gotten colder, your plate may have shifted to include more and more comfort food, and you may have lost your appetite for fresh greens. This salad from the Minimalist Baker brings a pop of color and a big burst of flavor to incentivize you to change things up. It may take a little extra effort to find a fresh papaya at this time of the year, but all the other ingredients are grocery store staples, and you’ll have no problem rounding them up. This salad pairs well with both spring rolls and Pad Thai, or it’s great just served on its own. Give this recipe a try to spice up your weekday meals.
Ingredients
Salad
1 small underripe green papaya
3 whole large carrots, peeled
1 cup green cabbage, chopped to bite size pieces
2 plum tomatoes, halved and cut into bite-sized pieces
optional: 2 leaves romaine lettuce loosely chopped for garnish
Sauce
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp dry-roasted salted peanuts, plus more for serving
2 fresh or dried bird eyes chilies (or 1 serrano pepper) thinly sliced
1 heaping tbsp coconut sugar
1 heaping 1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup lime juice (2 small limes)
3-4 tbsp vegan fish sauce
Method
-Prepare vegan fish sauce and set aside.
-Make sure you have a green papaya!
-After peeling the carrots, cut them in half crosswise, and then cut those pieces in half lengthwise. Then use a mandolin or a julienne peeler to carefully shred the carrots into small strips. Add to the mixing bowl.
-Prepare the papaya by peeling off the skin using a vegetable peeler. Next cut the fruit in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
-Cut papaya into small segments and shred into strips like the carrots using the mandolin or julienne peeler. Add to the bowl.
-Chop both the tomatoes and cabbage and add to the mixing bowl. Set the bowl aside.
-Begin to prepare the sauce. Add garlic, peanuts, chilies, coconut sugar, and salt to a food processor and mash or pulse until they combine to make a fine paste.
-Transfer the paste to a small mixing bowl. Add in lime juice and vegan fish sauce. Combine all together by whisking, and then sample for taste. Adjust your seasonings as necessary.
-Toss the salad with the sauce. For serving, place romaine lettuce on serving a serving dish and top with the papaya salad. To garnish, top with extra lime wedges and crushed peanuts.
-This salad is best served freshly made, but you can keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
