THAI PAPAYA SALAD

I remember the first time I had Thai food. A friend took me to the Thai House when I was probably 20 years old. She had lived in Thailand for a period of time, growing up with her parents, who were missionaries, and always talked about how amazing the food was. She shared those memories with me over a memorable lunch of Thai food. She ordered at least 5 dishes and we shared them all. Each one different — texture, heat, spicy, sweet, crunchy, sour…the classic trait of Thai food…and immense FLAVOR. Thai food can range from mild to super spicy, so be careful when ordering, or just get a Thai iced tea to cool off your tongue.

I was hooked from that moment on. I have never loved any food as much as Thai. I am not one to shy away from flavor, and I love the complexity of Thai dishes. More importantly, it is always so fresh, full of vegetables if you like, and quite healthy if you choose the right dish. Papaya Salad is one of those that can be amazing if the spices are right. Since everyone has a different preference, this can be flavored to your liking. Some people prefer more salt in the fish sauce, some more heat, others more lime. Please note, you should adjust to your tastebuds as well as the size of the papaya you are working with. More chiles can always be added if you want more heat, like we do. I don’t add too much in the kids’ but I do in mine. You can always omit the chiles for children and add them to yours. Many children may shy away from a complex salad like this, but it’s usually because they’ve never had it. Thai children eat it, and generally eat very spicy food. It is a matter of being given the same dish over and over – eventually, they will develop a taste for it. My children are growing up eating everything from many cultures, including Papaya Salad. One note here, Thai chiles are spicy, and it’s that kind of heat that is addictive and makes you want to keep eating it. My friend Kim doesn’t like spicy food, but as soon as she ate this salad at my house, she asked for the recipe and said exactly that – “This is addictive!”

Papaya Salad is a perfect combo of sour, salty, crunchy, fresh, raw, and perfect for your skinny jeans as it is loaded with fiber. It’s also quite easy as long as you have an asian market nearby. Green papaya isn’t easy to find in an American grocery store, but very easy to find in an International Store. I hope you love as much as we do! It is a favorite that I order at every Thai restaurant I go to. It is very different depending on what area of Thailand they came from, but I have found I like it best when I make it at home. Please try it, you may fall in love!

Love and a little heat,

Laura