Green papaya and prawn salad

(serves 2)

Not sure why i hadn't uploaded this, but maybe because I had only done the version with banana flower blossom before, which is what we learnt at the class in Vietnam, way back on our honeymoon - and only got around to trying it with green papaya a couple years later! This is very refreshing and delicious, and you can make it as spicy as you like by adding chilli  to the dressing! It's often very chilli at the Thai restaurants, but I'm not that brave...

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

400 g green papaya

1 carrot

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

½ Tbsp coconut oil

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp chicken stock powder

1 tsp sesame oil

3 sprigs shallots,

finely chopped

250 g raw King prawns

4 snake beans

250 g cherry tomatoes

6 sprigs fresh mint

roasted peanuts

dried onion flakes

Dressing

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 fresh chilli, crushed (optional)

1 Tbsp dried shrimp

1 Tbsp sugar

½ Tbsp lemon juice

1 Tbsp fish sauce

Method

1. Grate the papaya and carrot and mix with vinegar in a bowl, leave for 5 minutes then squeeze out the excess liquid with a cloth. Note: The vinegar helps to soften the papaya and makes it less bitter.
   
2. Remove the shells and butterfly the prawns.
3. Heat a saucepan on medium heat and add half a tablespoon coconut oil. Add paprika, chicken stock powder, sesame oil and shallots and stir for 30 seconds. Add in prawns and cook for 3 minutes until prawns are pink. Take off the heat and set aside.
4. Cut the snake beans into 3 centimetre lengths. Halve the tomatoes.
5. Using a mortar and pestle, grind the dressing ingredients then add the beans and tomatoes and gently grind to combine the juices.
   
6. In a large serving bowl, combine the papaya and carrot with half the dressing. Toss in the mint.
7. Top with the prawns and the remaining dressing. Garnish with roasted peanuts and dried onion flakes to serve.