Green Papaya Salad

Lime  ·  Thai Chile  ·  Fish Sauce  ·  Roasted Peanut  ·  Fresh Herbs

YIELD	PORTION	COMPONENTS	SERVICE
4 tasting portions	50–60 g per guest	Salad · Dressing · Finish	Cold · dress ≤10 min out

INGREDIENTS

Dressing 35 g   fresh lime juice 20 g   fish sauce 15 g   light brown sugar 10 g   water 1 clove   garlic 1   Thai chili

Finish 20 g   roasted peanuts, roughly crushed 1 per plate   whole Thai basil leaf (crown) PLATING STANDARD Tall, loosely twisted cone; visible air in the strands; peanuts in a broken ring around the base; finish with a single whole Thai basil leaf.

METHOD

1. Julienne papaya, carrot and cabbage. Hold each dry and separate on paper towel, refrigerated. Do not salt or dress ahead.

2. Pick and wash herbs; hold on a damp towel, refrigerated. Crush peanuts coarsely — halves and large pieces, not powder.

3. Dressing: pound garlic, chili and brown sugar to a rough paste in a mortar. Add lime juice, fish sauce and water; stir to dissolve. Taste in order: sour → salty → sweet → heat. It should read sour-forward with salt just behind.

4. 5–10 minutes before service, combine papaya, carrot, cabbage and sliced chile. Add dressing gradually and toss — coated and glossy, not pooling.

5. At the pass, fold in the herbs and about two-thirds of the peanuts; reserve the rest for plating.

PLATING

1. Wide white plate. Build a tall, loosely twisted cone slightly off centre

— height over spread, with visible air in the strands.

2. Scatter the reserved peanuts in a broken ring around the base, with a few caught in the salad.

3. Tuck cilantro and basil through the cone so purple, orange and green all show. Crown with a single whole Thai basil leaf laid flat across the peak.

CHEF’S NOTES

Dress no more than 10 minutes out — papaya weeps and the cone collapses. If it slumps, re-toss and rebuild. Peanuts go on last to keep their crunch.