Ingredients

2 cups    shredded fresh green papaya, use a Pro-Slice Thai peeler
4            medium cherry tomatoes, or use a few more if you like
A handful of fresh string beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
2 tbsp    dried shrimp

4-6        fresh Thai chillies, remove stems
1-2        cloves garlic
2 tbsp    tablespoons fish sauce

2 tbsp    palm sugar

2 tbsp    fresh lime juice
2 tbsp    juice of pickled mud fish – pla ra (optional)

3 tbsp    roasted peanuts

Method

1. Peel fresh green papaya, rinse the white milk off, pat dry, then shred the whole papaya. Thai people do this by holding the papaya in one hand over a large bowl and chopping into it, rotating the papaya as necessary. Once shredded, sprinkle with a bit of salt then rinse it off and drain. Keep 2 cups shredded papaya out, and put the rest in a sealed container for later use. Cut cherry tomatoes in half.

2. In a clay Laos Style Mortar & Pestle coarsely pound the fresh chillies (whole) and garlic. Add string beans and sliced tomato, and pound it lightly (do not over-crush). Add dried shrimp, fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice. Add these items spoon-by-spoon, and taste as you go. It should be sour, salty, and hot with a little sweetness.

3. If you want to add peanuts, add now and lightly pound (optional). If you want to add pickled mud fish – pla ra, add two tablespoons (optional).

4. Add shredded papaya and pound together until mixed well. Serve on a dish with fresh cabbage and string beans on the side.