Green Papaya Soup And Pickled Papaya Recipes

GREEN PAPAYA SOUP AND PICKLED PAPAYA

Steps:

• PREPARE THE PAPAYAS:.
• In a small saucepan, combine the unseasoned rice vinegar with 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, the mustard seeds, peppercorns, star anise, clove and 2 tablespoons of sea salt. Bring the pickling liquid to a boil.
• Put the ripe papaya in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot pickling liquid over it. Let stand for 1 hour, until cool.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the remaining 1 1/2 cups of sugar with the remaining 3 cups of water and the mint sprigs and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the green papaya and cook over moderate heat until tender, about 45 minutes.
• Strain the papaya and let cool slightly; discard the mint. Transfer the cooked papaya to a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cold.
• MAKE THE COCONUT BROTH:.
• In a small skillet, toast the coriander seeds, fennel seeds, whole cloves, allspice berries and star anise pod over moderate heat, shaking the pan until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer the toasted spices to a plate to cool.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan. Add the chopped carrot, celery, onion, ginger and lemongrass and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened, about 7 minutes. Add the toasted spices and the wine to the saucepan and cook over moderately high heat until the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
• Add the coconut milk, 6 lime zest strips, basil and cilantro and bring to a boil. Cover and let stand off the heat for 30 minutes.
• Strain the coconut broth through a fine sieve set over a medium bowl, pressing hard on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. OR use a stick to create a pure.
• Refrigerate the coconut broth until well chilled.
• Put it together:.
• Drain the pickled papaya and pick out the peppercorns, star anise and cloves; pat the papaya dry. Add the green papaya puree, lime juice and cold water to the coconut broth; season with salt and hot sauce.
• At the end, mix the soup with an immersion blender to get it creamier and airier-and serve it ice cold.
• Ladle the papaya soup into shallow bowls, mound the pickled papaya in the center of each bowl. Put crab, lobster, shrimp or fish on top (optional). Garnish the papaya soup with lime zest and serve at once.
• MAKE AHEAD:.
• The green papaya puree and the coconut broth can be refrigerated separately overnight. The drained pickled papaya can be refrigerated overnight.

PAPAYA SOUP

Steps:

• Heat coconut oil in a stockpot over medium heat; add onion, red bell pepper, chives, garlic, rosemary, sage, ginger, and chile pepper. Cook and stir until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tofu to onion mixture; cook, stirring every 2 minutes, until tofu is golden brown, about 6 minutes. Season with salt.
• Mix Worcestershire sauce and lime juice into tofu mixture. Stir water and bouillon together in a bowl until dissolved; pour over tofu mixture. Bring liquid to a simmer, add papaya, loosely cover stockpot, and simmer until papaya is tender yet firm to the bite, about 20 minutes.
• Remove stockpot from heat, stir on spinach, cover, and allow to sit until spinach is wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Ladle soup into serving bowls and top with fried onions.

GREEN PAPAYA SALAD

Steps:

• To make the dressing, in a small bowl, stir together the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, and chiles until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to develop the flavors.
• Peel the papaya with a vegetable peeler and then cut off the stem. Halve the papaya lengthwise and use a spoon to scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut each half lengthwise into quarters, and then use a knife to remove the thin white layer lining the cavity. Using a Japanese Benriner slicer (page 22) or a food processor fitted with the largest shredder blade, shred the papaya pieces. Aim for thin strands about 1/16 inch thick, no more than 3/16 inch wide, and 2 1/2 to 3 inches long (about the size of the shredded mozzarella you put on a pizza.)
• Put the shredded papaya in a colander, add the sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and use both hands to massage the sugar and salt vigorously into the papaya. After a few minutes, the papaya will be a little slimy and limp yet still firm. At that point, rinse it under lots of cold running water to remove the salt and sugar.
• Working in batches, wring out excess moisture from the papaya in a nonterry dish towel: position a mound of the papaya in the center, roll it up in the towel, and then twist the ends in opposite directions to force out the liquid. Do this 3 or 4 times. You want to extract enough water from the papaya yet not completely crush it. Transfer the papaya to a large bowl and fluff it up to release it from its cramped state.
• Fill a small saucepan half full with water, add the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the shrimp, remove from the heat, and let stand for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the shrimp have curled nicely and are pinkish orange. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool, leaving the water in the pan. When the shrimp are cool enough to handle, shred them with your fingers into 1/4-inch pieces. Let the shrimp pieces continue to cool to room temperature and then add them to the bowl containing the papaya.
• While the shrimp are cooling, trim any excess fat from the pork chop. Return the water in the pan to a rolling boil and drop in the pork. When the water starts bubbling at the edges of the pan, remove the pan from the heat and cover tightly. Let stand for 20 minutes. Th e pork should be firm yet still yield a bit to the touch. Remove the pork from the pan. Reserve the light stock for another use or discard. When the pork is cool enough to handle, cut it into matchsticks. Let the pork continue to cool to room temperature and then add it to the shrimp and papaya.
• Just before serving, add the Vietnamese coriander to the salad and toss to distribute evenly. Pour on the dressing and toss again. (If you don't want to bite into a piece of chile unexpectedly, strain the dressing over the salad.) Taste and adjust the flavors to your liking, balancing the sour, sweet, salty, and spicy. Transfer to a serving plate, leaving any unabsorbed dressing behind, and serve.
• notes
• You may ready the papaya, shrimp, and pork a day in advance. Keep them in separate covered containers in the refrigerator, and return them to room temperature before tossing the salad. The dressing may be prepared several hours in advance.
• When I am including this salad in a meal that contains a pork-based dish, I leave out the shredded pork and add more shrimp (use about 3/4 pound total). If papaya isn't available or if you would like a slightly more assertive flavor, use daikon instead. Select young daikons (which have a milder taste) no more than 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
• To make another Vietnamese favorite, substitute sweet-and-spicy Asian beef jerky for the shrimp and pork. Purchase the thin, dark red sheets of jerky, packed in plastic wrap or in boxes, at a Chinese or Vietnamese market. Using scissors, cut about 3 ounces of the jerky into short strips that match the papaya strips; you will have about 3/4 cup. Combine the papaya, jerky, and 1/4 cup shredded fresh Thai basil leaves. Toss the mixture with the same dressing as for the pork and shrimp version, but use a little less, as you will have a slightly smaller amount of salad.