Cleansing Papaya Pukpok Salad

Papaya is another fruit that is good for your health. It is packed with nutrients and antioxidants that give it anticancer and anti-inflammatory benefits. It also has a lot of fiber that helps you with digestion. It is in fact so good, it is also used in a lot of skin-care products. What about eating it and keeping your insides in good shape as well? The latex in raw papaya is known to cleanse your digestive system.

Combined with the other ingredients this dish will give you the vitamin C boost that you need plus all the extras that the other raw vegetables have. It is deliciously healthy!

This is a salad typically eaten in Southeast Asia, which comes in different varieties based on the place of origin. The recipe here does not contain raw seafood but uses fish sauce instead, you can replace this with soy sauce if you are a vegan.

Note: You will need a mortar and pestle for this salad and a stainless steel bowl.

Good for 4-6
Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 small green papaya
1 medium carrot
1 paprika
6 cherry tomatoes (or 1 large tomato sliced)
1/2 lime (or 1 full if you like it sour)
2 cloves garlic
1 red spicy chili
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce (or soy sauce)
1 tbsp tamarind paste
5-6 sprigs of mint
5-6 sprigs of coriander
handful of peanuts (toasted)
1 mango (optional)
1 small white radish (optional)


Directions:

1. Peel the papaya. Just note that a white-sticky fluid will be coming out where you peel. You can use gloves if you want but normally, it is easily washed off by water. Peel the carrots as well afterwards.

2. Using a knife or a julienne-cutter, julienne the papaya and carrots (also the mango and radish id using). Set aside in a large stainless-steel bowl.

3. Slice the paprika and tomatoes thinly. Add to the large bowl.

4. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and chili. Add to the bowl with papaya and carrots

5. Squeeze the lime in the bowl. Add the brown sugar, fish sauce (or soy sauce) and tamarind paste.

6. Separate the leaves of the coriander and mint from their stems, chop in strips and add to the salad.

7. Using a pestle, gently pound the salad in the stainless steel bowl to make the juices come out from the vegetables. After some minutes, you will notice the vegetables soften and some liquid is released making this the 'dressing' for the salad.

8. Sprinkle some toasted nuts and mix. Serve on bowls or plates. Enjoy!