Ingredients

• 1 large or 2 medium green papaya (see Cook's Note)
• 1/2 pound green string beans
• 4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• 4 tablespoons Thai fish sauce, nam pla
• 4 tablespoons palm sugar, available in most Mexican, Latin or Asian supermarkets, or substitute brown sugar, or white sugar
• 2 large carrots (peeled and shredded to the same strip-size as papaya)
• 1/4 cup loosely chopped cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup loosely chopped mint
• 4 tablespoons dried Thai shrimp, optional
• 2 to 4 Thai chiles also called prik chiles, minced
• 1/4 cup unsalted peanuts, toasted and lightly crushed
• Jeff's Thai Grilled Shrimp, recipe follows
• Jasmine sticky rice, or steamed vermicelli rice noodles, optional, as an accompaniment
• 1/2 cup Thai sweet chili and garlic sauce (recommended: Mae Ploy now available in most grocery stores)
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1/4 cup ponzu sauce, or substitute the juice of 1 lime
• 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
• Splash Thai fish sauce, nam pla
• 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 or 5 sprigs mint, leaves removed and finely chopped, or substitute Thai basil
• Handful cilantro leaves, finely chopped
• 3 pounds large shrimp

Instructions

1. Peel the papaya (I use a standard vegetable peeler), then slice papaya in half and scoop out black, slippery round seeds and some of the stringy flesh, but be careful not to scoop into good, firm flesh for the salad. Shred the papaya on a mandoline or a box grater. Set aside. Snip off the tips of the green beans. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat and add the beans. Cook until crisp tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain and quickly add the beans to ice water. Cut the beans in half, about 2-inches in length and add them to a large bowl. In a large mixing bowl whisk the lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar, until the sugar is dissolved. Mix in the shredded papaya, green beans and carrots until well coated (I like to use tongs for this). Toss in the cilantro, mint, and dried shrimp. Then mix in the hot chiles, to taste. Let salad stand for 20 minutes or up to 2 hours, covered in the refrigerator.
2. Before serving, mix in most of the crushed peanuts, reserving a few tablespoons for garnish. When serving, mound the salad in center of a plate and sprinkle the remaining peanuts on top. The dish can be served on its own, or with Thai Grilled Shrimp and Thai jasmine or sticky rice, or with steamed vermicelli-rice noodles.
3. Preheat grill to medium heat. In a large bowl whisk all the marinade ingredients together. Add the shrimp and let marinate for up to 1 hour. Grill the shrimp 4 to 6 minutes each side until they begin to curl, get pink in color and firm up. Do not over cook or they will get rubbery. Brush the shrimp with the marinade during grilling. Put the remaining marinade in a small saucepan and bring to boil over high heat. Cook the marinade for at least 2 minutes and serve it as a sauce on the side. Serve the shrimp with the papaya salad. Cook's Note: This marinade/sauce is great with chicken thighs and pork tenderloin. If using chicken or pork then double the marinade recipe, marinate for 4 hours, and grill accordingly.