Green Papaya Salad

One of our readers posted a comment on my rant about Thai food the other day with a link to a site of video tutorials on making popular Thai dishes. Thank you Norris! This site is terrific and there is a video on making a simple version of a Green Papaya Salad that looks completely approachable. (I have included it here. Did that work?) I love this salad above almost all other Thai dishes--especially in summer--but it's been so long since I made it myself I was feeling inept. I saw unripe papayas recently in that big cold fridge at Costco though and I'm taking it on! I will have to get those Thai chilies at Saigon Market because my garden is bare. The fish sauce I already buy regulalry at Saigon Market but, if you don't, look for the brand with baby on the label. They also carry palm sugar at Saigon market. And while you can substitute cane sugar there is nothing quite like palm sugar. Maybe I will see you there?

Did I say thank you Norris?!

Note: A lot of people turn up their nose at the idea of Papaya salad because they don't like ripe papaya but unripe papaya has the taste and texture of a vegetable--almost like a tangy carrot. This salad is not sweet and tastes nothing like ripe papaya (which I don't like either.)