Tangy and Crunchy with loads of flavor! Green papaya salad is your go-to recipe to should you want to fire up your taste buds, appetite, and metabolism. With innumerable health benefits and taste, this recipe rocks on every aspect. It is a gastronomical experience in itself!
Papaya Salad is Delicious and Supernutritious
Green Papaya is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants. It is great for children, new mothers, and for people suffering from lifestyle disorders such as Diabetes, Hypertension, and Obesity. It is also great to boost the immune system. Here is a complete list of health benefits of green papaya.
Traditionally garlic, chili, and other ingredients are pounded in mortar and pestle and then added to the grated green papaya for the salad. Pounding the ingredients brings out the flavor and gives the right texture for a delicious salad!
We added Thai red chili to the ingredients, however, it is very hot. To keep the recipe kids friendly and for those unable to take chili, please remove chili from the ingredients or replace it with a lighter version.
Lemon Basil
Lemon Basil is a hybridized variation of Basil with rich lemon-like aroma and hence the name. It is used widely in North-Eastern Africa and South East Asia, specifically in Indonesia and Laos. It adds a rich fragrance and flavor to the food where it is added.
To retain the aroma and nutrition, it is usually added in the end to cooked preparations such as soups and curries. It can be used in both cooked and raw forms in salads. When added in crushed form, it gives a rich citrusy flavor to the vinegar and salad dressings.
Lemon Basil imparts a delicious lemon flavor to the papaya salad. It is commonly added to the papaya salad recipes in Myanmar. You can also replace it with Thai sweet basil or fresh coriander leaves.
Basil as a whole is generally known as the mother of the herbs as all of the variations are potent sources of bioactive compounds, essential nutrients such as Vitamins, Minerals, and Antioxidants. Some variations of basil such as holy basil are powerful adaptogens and medicinal herbs in Ayurveda.
Lemon Basil is a rich source of Beta Carotene and Vitamin K, powerful nutrients to fight off inflammation. Minerals such as Manganese, Copper, Calcium, Iron, and Magnesium are present in good amounts. Additionally, Vitamin C, Folate, and Omega 3 Fatty acids are also present in lemon basil.
Ingredients – Papaya Salad Recipe (Serves 4-5 people)
- 1 Medium-sized green Papaya – washed, peeled, and finely grated
- 9-10 cherry tomatoes
- 1 Thai red chili (optional) – can be replaced with a less spicy version or can be removed altogether
- A handful of lemon basil leaves – finely chopped or pounded in mortar and pestle as we will do for the rest of the ingredients.
- 2-3 green lime or a two-inch piece of tamarind cake. Lime can be replaced with tamarind juice. IT is obtained by soaking tamarind in 2 tablespoon water. This is then mixed and mashed well to make a thick sauce.
- Soy sauce per taste (for the savory tinge). We added 1 tablespoon for this proportion of salad
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure sesame oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic – finely chopped or crushed in mortar and pestle
- 3-4 long beans, cut into 3 inch long pieces (optional)
Method of Preparation (15-20 mins) – Papaya Salad Recipe
- Wash and peel the papaya. Grate it coarsely into long pieces in a food processor or hand grater. Keep aside.
- Take a mortar and pestle and add cloves of garlic. Crush them till fine small pieces. Add to Papaya.
- Cut cherry tomatoes into 2 pieces and crush them in the mortar and pestle too. Add to the Papaya mix.
- Finely chop lemon basil leaves or crush them in mortar and pestle. Add them to the papaya mix afterward.
- Crush the beans as well in mortar and pestle and add to the mix.
- Crush the red chili in the mortar and pestle and add to mix. If you crush too much then chili becomes very strong. Crush less to simply enjoy the flavour without making the salad very hot.
- Squeeze the lime, add sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil to make salad dressing.
- Mix well and serve with rest of the meal. Enjoy!
We would love to hear from you! If you try this recipe, do leave a comment and rate the recipe! Don’t forget to take a photo, tag @medhyaherbals, and hashtag it #medhyaherbals on Instagram. Eat Well, Feel Happy, and Look Awesome!
Reference