Green papaya salad with prawn and pork

Ingredients

• 1 green papaya (180 g), peeled and finely julienne (see Note)
• 200 g cooked pork belly, finely sliced
• 5 green mint leaves, finely sliced
• 5 Asian basil leaves, finely sliced
• 5 perilla leaf leaves, finely sliced
• 5 coriander leaves, finely sliced
• 200 g cooked medium tiger prawns, peeled, deveined and sliced in half lengthways
• 1 tbsp fried red Asian shallots
• 1 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts
• ½ tsp fried garlic chips
• 1 chilli, chopped
• ¼ cup dipping fish sauce

Dipping sauce

• 60 ml (¼ cup) fish sauce
• 60 ml (¼ cup) white vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 125 ml (½ cup) water
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 chilli, chopped
• 2 tbsp lime juice

Instructions

To make the dipping sauce, combine fish sauce, vinegar, sugar and water into a saucepan and place on medium heat. Stir well and cook until just before boiling point is reached, then allow to cool. To serve, finely chop the garlic and chilli and stir through with the lime juice. Makes 1 cup.

In a large bowl combine the green papaya, pork belly, sliced herbs, dipping sauce and mix well.

Turn out onto a serving platter and arrange the prawns on top of the green papaya salad.

Garnish with fried Asian shallots, peanuts, garlic chips and chilli.

Note• Submerge the julienne green papaya in cold water for 4 minutes then drain. This keeps the crisp texture of the green papaya.