Thai Papaya Salad

Spice up your life with some mouth-watering Thai Papaya Salad.

Ingredients:
1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dry-roasted salted peanuts, more for garnish
2 fresh chili padi, sliced
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1 tablespoon dried shrimp (optional)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 to 2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 large round tomato, or 8 grape tomatoes, coarsely chopped
200g long beans, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths (optional)
1 small to medium green (unripe) papaya
Lettuce for serving (optional)

Method:

1. In a blender or mortar, blend or pound garlic, salt, peanuts, chilies, sugar and shrimp (if using) into a paste. Transfer to a large bowl and mix in lime juice and fish sauce. Use a spoon (or the mortar) to lightly crush tomatoes and beans (if using), then add to bowl and mix lightly.

2. Peel and coarsely grate or shred papaya, discarding seeds and inner membrane. There should be 4 to 6 cups.

3. Add papaya to bowl and lightly but thoroughly toss together. Taste for seasoning. Mound in a bowl (if desired, line bowl with lettuce leaves beforehand). Sprinkle with peanuts and serve.

This amazing recipe is adapted from cooking.nytimes.com