Alternative Preparation for Green Papaya Salad

Last weekend my friends and I headed up to Orr Hot Springs Resort for an annual trip of soaking, eating and drinking in an amazing setting.  The theme for Saturday night's dinner was Vietnamese and one of the dishes, prepared by my good friends Scott and David, was a variation on the traditional Green papaya salad, which is hugely popular throughout Southeast Asia. The dish is usually made from unripe Southeast Asian papayas, but as they were unavailable Scott and David opted for seedless European cucumbers.  They are the long, thinner version of the cuke, usually wrapped in plastic, that you find in the grocery store.

While Scott was busy slicing and dicing the veggies for this amazing salad, David was chopping up a hot chili pepper.  Both Scott and I winced with concern over too much heat being added to the dish and kindly requested David serve the heat on the side.  Without us knowing he plopped the diced pepper into the bowl and quickly stirred to hide his addition.  According to David, and I quote, " I did indeed add the Serrano pepper in the end, despite both of your recommendations, and I think it really rounded the dish out, and made it even more fresh."  He was right.  The dish has just enough heat and was absolutely incredible.

We must give Gourmet Magazine credit for this recipe, but note that the shrimp was eliminated

Here is what you will need:

For the Dressing

1 large garlic clove, forced through a garlic press

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (preferably nuoc mam)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 small thin fresh red or green Asian chili (1 to 2 inches long) or
serrano chili, or to taste, seeded and chopped fine (wear rubber
gloves)

Veggies and Such

2 seedless cucumbers chopped into bite size pieces
1 carrot, shredded fine
1/3 cup fresh coriander leaves, washed well and spun dry
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, crushed

In a large bowl whisk together dressing ingredients until sugar is dissolved.
Add cucumber, carrot, and coriander to dressing, tossing well. Salad may be made 2 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Bring salad to room temperature before serving.

Serve salad sprinkled with peanuts.