When I read the post at Regional Recipes for this month I quickly joined excited that Vietnam was chosen, that was two weeks ago, fast forward to yesterday, I was beginning to sweat.
I had not researched any recipes, my fridge was brimming with Mexican ingredients( which certainly didn’t scream Vietnam) and I was running out of time.
Well I am not one to “just lay down and cry,” Okay I am…so I woke up extra- early, dried off my tears, began researching and what did I find, hello my taste buds..oh yes, I was happy.
Many of the recipes I researched had the flavors I love and use regularly lime, papaya, garlic, coriander, mint and chilies.
Both recipes fit our home’s taste almost too perfectly, I quickly thought “bonnie DO not mess this meal up.”
The Green Papaya Salad honestly surprised me, I made sure to take my time in the kitchen, I had planned to make the recipe exact, no changes.
Okay I just lied, I did change one tiny aspect, but not an ingredient. The recipe called for a papaya julienned, but grated carrot (I julienned the carrot) and I think it made the salad even better. I looked at the bowl of papaya and carrot and
I stopped, looked around and had decided to just eat the entire bowl of orange goodness myself, but hubby was staring at me, like he knew what I was thinking, I swear he’s so Nosy!! Getting back to the salad, I loved it, I ate two plates and saved the leftovers for
“my lunch” tommorrow, yes girls I’m not sharing. The mix of papaya, carrots, mint, coriander, bean sprouts, fish sauce and lime juice was so refreshing I almost couldn’t contain myself, it was the perfection. The shrimp well what can I say, shrimp cooked with a
WHOLE head of garlic, you really can’t go wrong. I went into the experience thinking I would be completely thrown out of my comfort zone, only to be even happier with the mixing of flavors. Enjoy!
I am submitting this to Regional Recipes from Joanne at Eats Well with Others, if you have never visited Joanne’s blog, pass by you won’t be sorry, she’s a rock star!
Garlic Shrimps
from Vietnameserecipes.org
450 grams of fresh medium shrimp
3 tbsp lime juice
30 grams of flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 whole head of garlic– chopped
1/2 chili sliced thinly
1 tsp salt
peel shrimp, remove the heads and tails- devein
marinate in lime juice for 30 minutes
sprinkle flour on shrimp and mix lightly
heat olive oil in a wok
saute garlic over low heat until lightly browned, about 5 minutes
add shrimps. stir fry about 1-2 minutes or until shrimps are almost cooked
add the chiles and salt. heat through 1-2 minutes
for more heat, add more crush fresh chiles on top
Green Papaya Salad
from Vietnameserecipes.org
(I doubled eveything except the papaya)
1 papaya–julienned
1 carrot grated (i julienned)
handful of bean sprouts
1/2 red onion sliced thin
3 tbsp mint
3 tbsp coriander
3 tbsp Vietnamese mint
*dressing recipe*
(i doubled)
1 big red chili finely chopped
2 garlic cloves finely chopped
3 coriander roots finely chopped
1 table of palm sugar or brown sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp lime juice
combine all in a large bowl, add dressing –keep cool
One of the reasons I enjoy Vietnamese food so much is the focus on vegetables. It really is a healthy cuisine. But, I won’t lie, I’m intimidated by that long list of ingredients. I think I need a bigger kitchen before I attempt this feat.
Hi,
Thank you so much for your visit and for your lovely words. I’m discovering your website just now, and I’m totally amazed with everything. I’m going to take your link with me, so I can come often and follow your new posts.
XXXX
Lia.
Looks very appetising. I can eat this everyday…mmm
I also wouldn’t think papaya salad was Vietnamese. Every Thai place I’ve been to serves papaya salad on the menu but I’ve never seen it in Vietnamese restaurants. Maybe it’s just part of the region so it’s included. And one thing I also found out this week …. Bun Thit Nuong is categorized as a salad! O_O
And *laughs* about the garlic shrimp. I ate a clove of garlic because raw garlic was how it was served as this vietnamese restaurant I went to, and boy did that burn my nostrils, the ceiling of my mouth, and the back of my tongue. I was crying.
This was on my list of recipes to make this week! I was thinking about the same thing you wrote about. There are several ingredients that overlap between Mexican and Vietnamese cuisine. This is one of my favorite salads. I won’t be surprised if you make this one again soon.
I didn’t know that green papaya salad is Vietnamese! I always thought it was strictly Thai. In any case, it looks and sounds wonderful. Utterly refreshing for a hot summer day! 😀
perfect! simple, healthy and flavorful! love it!
The papaya salad and the shrimp dish both look great!! I love Vietnamese foods! They are so flavorful and seem so healthy!
You are just the sweetest thing! Thank you so much for this submission! I loved your account of the trials you had to go through to make it…staring down the husband for that salad. I could just see you ready to run off with it. Too funny.
It all looks so delicious!
Everything in this well presented salad minus the coriander can put a smile on my face anytime. Of all Asian foods, I find this cuisine to be the more subtle one of the bunch…hence more versatile to please.
This will be a great dish for these warmer days ahead.
Thanks for sharing and flavourful wishes, Claudia
Hey Bonnie, you’re so clever to swift things around between the two different cuisines! Although I have tried and liked green papaya salad, yours looks wonderful and healthy!
ooo and garlic is so super healthy ! I like!!
It’s so funny, I’m finding recipes from South East Asia, Africa and Latin America have similar vegetable/fruit ingredients. The condiments and cooking techniques vary, but still those are similar, too! I know… these are statements that most people know… Getting back to your gorgeous recipe for The Green Papaya Salad.
Great recipe, as always! I love the presentation too.
Your papaya salad is so colorful and looks perfect beside that yummy shrimp. What a great recipe for Joanne’s roundup! 😉
What a beautiful and delicious combo of flavors, plus your presentation is gorgeous. You always have something perfect coming from your kitchen.
I am TOTALLY making this – right up my alley with super fresh, light and flavorful ingredients!
wow, I’ve never actually bought a papaya to make a salad with – just have eaten it plain. this looks great!
Hey Bonnie, while I first started reading this, I thought to myself that there are certainly some similarities between the average Mexican and Vietnamese kitchen. I know that sounds strange, but your ability to throw such a delicious looking dish together is certainly proof that some of the favorite flavors and foods are shared despite the major differences in culture and location!
Oh, and there’s a papaya tree near my house. I’m so going to try this with carrot when I can grab one. How green or not green should the papaya be for this? I usually only eat super ripe ones…?
P.S.-your most recent posts aren’t showing when I click onto your site.
This is a lovely combination. Papaya salad is a favorite here and it would be a wonderful play against your shrimp. This was really nicely done. Have a great day. Blessings…Mary
I love papaya in salads! That plate is just oozing goodness. I bet it was all delicious!
You should become a professional food photographer. You’ve got that “thing” when it comes to portraying food. It’s always so lovely! 🙂
Oh you know, I would LOOOOVE this!!! It looks magnificent! Great call on the blue plate – it plays off the colours of the salad so beautifully. A whole head of smelly garlic? Another reason to love you girl 😉
I love Vietnamese food and Mexican food! I saw have a fridge full ingredients to prepare both kinds of dishes! 😉
Wow-the salad looks incredible! I a huge fan of fish sauce. It’s heinous to smell but add such deep rich flavors! Beautiful dish!
Blue + Orange – complementary colours! So pretty and the flavours sound totally rad.
I am loving the papaya salad!! I have a hard time eating papaya (not an appropriate place to say why….) though I do enjoy it. In small quantities it’ll be ok. Which is why, if you loved it so much, will be quite deadly for me. But I must attempt!
xoxo
now you know how much I love shrimp and this lime shrimp does rock – the dressing over the salad is just great too
The papaya salad, I hear that name whenever there is talk about Vietnamese cuisine. Yummy and spicy, cant wait to try. I wish I had some recipes to share in regional recipe. If they did Nepali recipe I might have some.
I’m with you on the fridge full of Mexican ingredients!
you can never have too much garlic with shrimp, i agreee, they just go too well together. the salad looks like it would be great, i’m wishing i had some for lunch right now!!
What a gorgeous salad! I can’t eat the shrimp (allergic) but that salad looks fabulous!
Not sharing? *gasp* Lol, it does look awesome!
This salad is one I was not familiar with; I love the flavors and spices used and it makes a great light meal especially for this hot weather we are experiencing right now.
Magnificent dish, beautifully presented. Wonderful flavor combinations.
Cheers!
These look totally delicious! I am loving those garlic shrimp. I can’t blame you for not sharing! You reminded me I need to find a recipe for this ASAP.
Wow, a delightful papaya salad with shrimp, I would love this for my lunch today!
Beautiful salad…I love the orange hues and it sounds delicious!
Once again, you made me hungry. I really ought to make it a habit to NOT read your blog too early in the day or I end up eating lunch at 10h30 a.m.!
My sis-in-law is Vietnamese and we had the best time at her and my bro-in-law’s wedding. Amazing food and a welcoming family. This brings me back- it’s delicious. Great recipe!
WOW…thats a rich, colorful and delicious looking salad…so tempting…love the combo…healthy too…:)
All your food pics are superb….they really make my mouthwatering…:)
The papaya salad looks and sound amazing! With the weather so hot, all I want is salad and clear soups. I’ll have to check out Joanne’s blog.
I love Vietnamese food – everything I have tasted. The salad looks fresh and lush and healthy and colourful. YUM!
🙂
Valerie
Your papaya salad looks and sounds amazing! I am part-vietnamese and have fish sauce with almost everything! even scrambled eggs. I love it as a salad dressing. I could have eaten the salad as meal on its own too! Yum.
that’s one lengthy and stellar list of ingredients! it’s a beautiful salad, and i’m pretty sure i could just guzzle the dressing by itself. great contribution!
The refreshing salad balances the garlic(strong-flavored) shrimps really well!
Garlic shrimps sound fantastic together with the papaya salad. A fabulous Vietnamese treat!