There are many ways to make green papaya salads

There are many ways to make green papaya salads, with varying degrees of hotness, sourness and sweetness. The hottest salads are probably made in northeastern Thailand and Laos where they are eaten with barbecued chicken and sticky rice as a staple food of the populace. The papaya is the fruit of the plantCarica papaya, in the genus Carica. It is native to the tropics of the Americas, and was cultivated in Mexico several centuries before the emergence of the Mesoamerican classic cultures.

It is a large tree-like plant, the single stem growing from 5 to 10 meters tall, with spirally arranged leaves confined to the top of the trunk; the lower trunk is conspicuously scarred where leaves and fruit were borne. The tree is usually unbranched if unlopped. The flowers are similar in shape to the flowers of the Plumeria but are much smaller and wax like. They appear on the axils of the leaves, maturing into the large 15-45cm long, 10-30cm diameter fruit. The fruit's taste is vaguely similar to pineapple and peach, although much milder without the tartness. It is the first fruit tree to have its genome deciphered. Originally from southern Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central America and northern South America, the papaya is now cultivated in most countries with a tropical climate, such as Brazil, India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Haiti, and Southeast Asia. The unripe green fruit of papaya can be eaten cooked, usually in curries, salads and stews. Green papaya fruit and the tree's latex are both rich in an enzyme called papain, a protease which is useful in tenderizingmeat and other proteins.

Its ability to break down tough meat fibers was utilized for thousands of years by indigenous Americans. Our delicious and healthy Thai Cuisine is prepared fresh and without MSG. The Green Papaya features features both traditional and contemporary Vietnamese dishes. We are located in beautiful downtown Los Gatos, come join us for a delicious and memorable experience. In a small saucepan of boiling salted water cook shrimp 45 seconds to 1 minute, or until cooked through. In a colander drain shrimp and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Halve shrimp horizontally and devein.

Make dressing: In a large bowl whisk together dressing ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Bring salad to room temperature before serving. Serve salad sprinkled with peanuts.