Goi Du Du, Green Papaya Salad
Goi du du is the Vietnamese green papaya salad, a close cousin of Thailand's som tam but built on softer herbs and a gentler hand with the chile. The unripe papaya is the whole trick: shredded and rinsed, it stays crisp and clean-tasting, a blank canvas for the dressing. That dressing is usually fish sauce and palm sugar, rebuilt here from lime, garlic, chile, and blended dates, so it lands sweet, sour, and hot without either. Toasted peanuts bring the fat and the crunch, and a handful of rau ram, Vietnamese coriander, gives it the peppery edge that sets it apart. It holds for a couple of hours, so it travels well to a table.
Ingredients
- 3 cups Green papaya, peeled and shredded
- 1 cup Carrots, shredded
- 1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup Mint, torn
- 1/4 cup Vietnamese coriander, chopped
- 3 tbsp Peanuts, toasted and crushed
- 2 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Thai bird chile, minced
- 2 Deglet noor dates, pitted
- 3 tbsp Lime juice
Method
- Peel the green papaya, then shred it on the large holes of a box grater or with a peeler into long strands. Rinse the strands in cold water and drain them well. Unripe papaya is starchy and neutral, and rinsing takes off the surface starch so the shreds stay separate and crisp.
- Blend the dates with the lime juice, garlic, and chile plus 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water into a loose dressing. The dates supply the palm-sugar sweetness this salad usually carries, balancing the lime so it does not just read as sour.
- Put the papaya and carrot in a large bowl and pour the dressing over. Toss with your hands and then press and squeeze the shreds gently for a minute. This bruising works the dressing into the vegetables and softens them just slightly while keeping the crunch.
- Let it sit 10 minutes so the papaya drinks in the dressing. Green papaya holds its texture for hours, unlike lettuce, so this rest improves it rather than wilting it.
- Fold in the cilantro, mint, and Vietnamese coriander just before serving so they stay fresh. Vietnamese coriander is peppery and holds up better than soft herbs, and it is what marks this as Vietnamese rather than Thai. Scatter the crushed peanuts over the top for crunch and serve.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 130 calories, 4 g protein, 5 g fiber, 20 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
