I am so excited to be writing this recipe, this is potentially the recipe which I have waited the longest to write. I had the great privilege to be able to backpack around the globe and when looking back in my mind, one destination stands out as the pinnacle of my culinary adventures: Vietnam. The food was absolutely incredible, exposing me to a treasure trove of new flavors. On top of this, the people were so hospitable that we ate like royalty for a week. 

In Hanoi, we did a food tour, where a guide would take us to multiple different restaurants to taste local cuisine. One of the highlights of the tour was a spicy green papaya salad with beef jerky and peanuts (Gỏi Đu Đủ Khô Bò). From the moment I ate it, I was hooked. This spice, the different textures, the acidity; it had it all. Unfortunately, green papaya was rather hard to find where I used to live. Granted, I never explicitly sought it out, but visiting various asian markets it seemed to elude me. 

That is until we recently moved; as I’ve sought to find the best grocery stores in the area, one has stood out as the clear winner, and guess what — they stock green papaya! As soon as I saw it, I knew what I needed to do. I decided to create a green papaya salad of my own, and while I kept the general ingredients similar, I deviated as well. Green papaya, for those who have never eaten it, is not sweet. It has a bit of a tougher texture and is juicy and chewy. Green papayas are picked unripe, with beautiful whitish green flesh and they are beautiful!

This salad is very easy, there is nothing that needs to be cooked.  The only ingredient which may be a bit of a challenge to obtain other than the green papaya is vegan jerky. If this is not easily available, it can be substituted for any chewy protein, such as thinly sliced pan fried tofu. I hope this vibrant meal can make its way into your house soon. 

Active time 40 minutes

Servings 4-5

Ingredients

• 1 large green papaya
• 3 large carrots, peeled
• ½ green cabbage
• 1 white onion
• Bunch of thai basil
• 2 to 6 thai red peppers (vary based on spice tolerance)
• Juice of 2 limes
• 1 tsp fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp soy sauce 
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp miso
• 1/4 tsp msg
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• Bunch of thai basil
• Salted peanuts, chopped
• Vegan jerky, sliced into thin strips

Directions

1. Begin by preparing all the vegetables. There are two ways to prepare the green papaya, either grate it, or julienne it using a mandoline or specialized peeler. Either will do, with the julienne potentially adding a bit more texture to the dish. Additionally, grate the carrot and place it all into a large bowl. 
2. Next, cut the cabbage into quarters and very thinly slice the cabbage, almost shaving it. Cut the white onion into equally thin semi circles and add to the large salad bowl. Lastly, gently remove the thai basil leaves from their stems and rip them into smaller pieces in the salad bowl. 
3. Prepare the dressing. Cut the Thai red peppers into very small circles and add them to the sauce bowl. Combine with the lime juice, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, miso, msg, neutral oil and a ½ tsp salt. Whisk to combine. 
4. Pour over the salad and taste. Check the spice level, the salad should be spicy as one of the main flavors, but not overwhelmingly so. Additionally, adjust salt levels, this will depend on your rice vinegar and miso, so don’t be afraid to add more salt, I personally add close to another ¼ tsp. 
5. Serve in a large bowl topped with a generous handful of chopped peanuts and vegan jerky – enjoy!