Last week I posted the article about sisig. What a success this recipe was. Meantime I had to cook it again and it was delicious again. Sascia asked for the Thai salad recipe. No problem at all my dear – here it is.

Thai Green Mango-Papaya Salad.

If you do it right, then this salad will blow you away with its taste bud-awakening flavors and mixture of textures. And as a bonus, it is very healthy, also very low in calories and fat. We also enjoyed it as a complete meal by adding fried shrimp, chicken, or Thai Fish Cakes. Any way you toss it, this fresh, tasty salad will win all your culinary friends minds!

  Green mangos (left) and green papayas (right), the fruit for this salad. The papaya tree, we had two of them in Australia, produced more fruit then we barely could consume. Here in Uruguay, rare and expensive fruits.

Ingredients.

Dressing:

4 tablespoons dark soy sauce, one also can use fish sauce.
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice.
2 tablespoons brown sugar, or more to taste.
1 to 2 teaspoons Thai chili sauce, or substitute 1/3 to 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed chili (chilli flakes). I use Mae Ploy’s Thai Chilli sauce (its softer and sweeter in taste) and add a pinch of hot chilli powder or Szechuan pepper powder.

  My favorite Thai dressing sauce. Of course not available in Uruguay. But every time we fly out, or a good friend does, we bring a bottle or two. It lasts very long and it is even usable 2-3 years after expiring date. Excellent  with any kind of fish. I also use it in my homemade cream cheese – LOVELY.

With the dressing you have to decide, mix and taste, for the right balance between sour (lime juice), sweet (sugar), salty (soy sauce) and spicy hot (chilli sauce). Do not be afraid of a bit more heat (chilli), the fruits will calm it down.

    That’s the mango you want for this salad. The green, unripe one at the bottom of this bowl, not the ripe yellow or red ones.

Salad:

1/4 cup dry shredded unsweetened coconut (the kind you use for baking), optional.
2 firm green (unripe) mangoes , or one green mango and one green papaya, as I did here.
2 cups bean sprouts.
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander (cilantro), this time leaves only.
3 to 4 spring onions, sliced, just the green part.
1 fresh-cut red chili, optional if one likes fresh heat, the I suggest to leave the powder.
A handful of peanuts or cashews, left whole or roughly chopped, best freshly toasted.

             That’s how green papaya looks inside (left). If it is colored like the one right, you can use it for a lovely fruit desert, but not for this salad.

How to Do.

Mix together all the salad dressing ingredients in a bowl or cup.
The dressing should be a mingling of sweet, sour, spicy and salty, but a bit more sweet than sour. Set aside.

Place coconut in a dry frying pan or wok. „Dry-fry“ the coconut, as if you were stir-frying it, 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat, or until it turns a light golden-brown and is fragrant. Transfer to a bowl to cool.

     Another time, same salad. But instead the coriander (we had a guest who can’t eat coriander), I used some mint leaves.

Using a sharp pairing knife, peel the skin from mangoes and/or papaya.
The flesh of the mango should be firm and light green or yellow.
Using a medium to large-size grater (the kind you would use for cabbage salad), grate the flesh of the mangoes into a mixing bowl.
Keep in mind there is a large flat stone at the mango’s center.

  All the shredded fruits together.

Add the bean sprouts, coriander, spring onions, the fresh-cut chili (if using), plus half the toasted coconut. Toss well to combine.

Add the dressing and toss again. Do a taste-test, add more soy sauce instead of salt if needed. Combine dressing with salad just before serving, otherwise all will get gooey !

  The prepared salad dressing.

If you prefer it sweeter, add a little more sugar (honey works too).
If you prefer more spice, add more chili sauce.
If too salty or sweet, add more lime juice.
Place on a serving platter. Sprinkle the nuts, basil and remaining toasted coconut over the top. You can read here, its an easy salad recipe – but the balance of dressing is important !

Isn’t that a mouthwatering salad ??  As always, click on pics to supersize and enjoy the view.

Tips.

Prepare ahead.
To make this salad for a party, grate the mango ahead of time and place in a covered container in the refrigerator. Also, toast the coconut, prepare the dressing, and have the rest of the ingredients close at hand. Then when your guests arrive, simply put together, toss and serve!

   A delicious Thai summer meal. The green mango salad combined with grilled shrimps. Also lobster, chicken, scampi etc. will do well. This meal really cries for a delicious cool dry white wine.

Peanuts.
I prefer to toast my own, it’s far easier than it sounds. Heat a large fry pan over high heat for 1 minute, then add whole raw, skinless peanuts. Turn down the heat to medium-low and keep constantly stirring and flipping the peanuts in pan, make sure you don’t scorch them, but it is fine for them to get browned little heat (toasted) spots.

  A bowl of self roasted peanuts is the best you can offer your friends. The pic (by Ammu) shows spicy nuts roasted in garlic oil and cayenne pepper. They are also delicious if you roast them in above shown chilli sauce (then its sweet and spicy) or just in honey (sweet). Try it out it is really worthwhile.

If you smell acrid-smoke odor, then you are burning them, the aroma should smell almost like fresh peanut butter. Should take around 7 to 10 minutes to cook them. After 7 minutes take a few nuts and let them cool, taste them, if they are crunchy then done, if still a little soft and raw tasting after cooling then toast some more.

  I was lazy, peanuts I use here, not cheap but still good.

You can toast a pound in advance and store them in a zip lock bag or glass jar for a couple of months or so. Once you start toasting your own peanuts you’ll never buy jarred ones again, but if you don’t want to toast your own then you can use unsalted, dry roasted peanuts. I do this if I have not enough time to roast my own. But then – buy good ones.

   Did you ever tried these papaya kernels ? Most people scoop them out and through them away – o.k. with me. But I always keep a few spoons and sprinkle them over salads, fruit salads and more. They are delicious if you get used to, having a slight peppery taste and much fresher then using the pepper mill.

Hope you like my tips and this refreshing salad as we do. Enjoy !