Vietnamese Green Papaya Slaw with Shrimp
Known as goi du du in Vietnam, this vibrant slaw shreds crunchy unripe papaya and carrot and tosses them with poached shrimp, herbs, crushed peanuts, and a fish sauce dressing balanced between sweet, sour, salty, and spicy. It's light, refreshing, and unlike any slaw in a Western kitchen.
Ingredients
- 1 medium green (unripe) papaya, peeled and shredded (about 4 cups)
- 1 large carrot, shredded
- 12 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/4 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly crushed
- 1/4 cup fresh thai basil leaves, torn
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
- 2 tablespoons fried shallots (store-bought or homemade)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1-2 thai bird chiles, to taste
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the poaching water
Instructions
- Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the shrimp and poach for 2 to 3 minutes, until they turn pink and opaque and reach an internal temperature of 145 F.
- Immediately transfer the shrimp to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, then drain, pat dry, and halve lengthwise; set aside.
- Peel the green papaya with a vegetable peeler, then shred it into fine matchsticks using a julienne peeler, mandoline, or the julienne blade of a food processor.
- Shred the carrot into matchsticks the same way and combine with the papaya in a very large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle the papaya and carrot with 1/2 teaspoon salt, toss, and let sit for 10 minutes, then squeeze small handfuls firmly over the sink to remove excess water; this keeps the slaw crisp instead of watery.
- Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic cloves and Thai bird chiles with a pinch of sugar into a rough paste; if you don't have a mortar and pestle, mince both very finely with a knife.
- In a small bowl, whisk the garlic-chile paste with the lime juice, fish sauce, remaining sugar, and rice vinegar until the sugar fully dissolves.
- Taste the dressing and adjust: it should taste distinctly sour, salty, sweet, and spicy all at once, so add more lime for sourness or more fish sauce for saltiness as needed.
- Pour about three-quarters of the dressing over the squeezed papaya and carrot and toss thoroughly with tongs for a full minute to work the dressing into the fibers.
- Add the halved poached shrimp and half of the torn Thai basil and mint, and toss gently to combine.
- Transfer to a serving platter and scatter the remaining herbs, crushed peanuts, and fried shallots over the top.
- Drizzle with the remaining dressing just before serving and serve immediately while the papaya is at its crunchiest.
Why You'll Love This
- An entirely different texture experience - shredded green papaya stays shatteringly crisp even after dressing
- Balances all five flavors (sour, salty, sweet, spicy, and savory) in a single bite
- Naturally light and gluten-free, perfect as a starter before a heavier meal
Salt and squeeze the shredded papaya before dressing it - this draws out excess water so the finished slaw stays crunchy instead of turning limp and diluting the dressing.
Pound the garlic and chile into a paste rather than just mincing them if you can; a mortar and pestle releases more of their oils and gives the dressing a rounder, more traditional flavor.
Nutrition
| Calories | 220 |
| Protein | 14 g |
| Fat | 9 g |
| Carbs | 24 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sodium | 900 mg |
Estimated per serving
