Green Papaya Salad with Crispy Pork

COOKING ALERT: in order to get succulent crispy pork you have to start this dish the day before (at least) you serve it. The tough pork shoulder marinates overnight in a sweet, salty, spicy syrup that positively infuses into the meat and tenderizes it. The salad itself features green papaya which is the raw version of the sweet red one you’re probably used to.

Being raw it stands up to grating for a nice texture in the salad. We also feature dried shrimp (cheap and available at any decent Asian food store) which get pounded into a paste with garlic and chilis and peanuts resulting in a joyous flavor burst in your mouth. Enjoy.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Crispy pork

• 1 cup (250 mL) palm sugar (chopped, pounded in a mortar and pestle, or finely grated)
• 1/2 cup (125 mL) kecap manis (or Thai black/dark sweet soy sauce)
• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) oyster sauce
• 2 star anise
• 7 ounces (200 g) boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2- by 1-inch pieces 1/8 inch thick (5 x 2.5 cm x 3 mm)
• Vegetable oil for deep-frying, about 2 cups (500 mL)

For the salad

• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 to 6 red bird’s eye chilies
• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) dried shrimp
• 1 heaped tablespoon (15 mL+) roughly chopped roasted peanuts
• 1 slice of lime
• 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 cup (250 mL) peeled green papaya, cut into matchsticks

For the dressing

• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) finely grated or chopped palm sugar
• 1 to 2 tablespoons (15–30 mL) fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon (15 mL) tamarind paste 

Directions

1. Start the marinade the night before. In a medium saucepan, place the palm sugar, kecap manis, oyster sauce, star anise, and a pinch of salt, and simmer and reduce until it becomes syrupy, about 5 minutes. Let the syrup cool.
2. Slice the pork into 2- by 1-inch (5 x 2 cm) pieces 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Place in a covered container with the palm sugar syrup, and leave in the refrigerator to marinate overnight.
3. The next day, drain the pieces of pork on a wire rack set over a plate, until most marinade had dripped off. This will avoid burning when you deep-fry the pork.
4. In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic with the chilies and a pinch of salt. Add the shrimp and peanuts, and pound into a paste. Transfer to a large bowl.
5. Add the slice of lime and the cherry tomatoes, gently mashing with the pestle or wooden spoon. Add the papaya, slightly bruising it as you mix it with the rest of the ingredients. Discard the lime slice.
6. For the dressing, combine the palm sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and tamarind in a small bowl, and mix until the sugar is dissolved. Toss the dressing with the salad.
7. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. In a wok or heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high, heat the oil to 350°F to 370°F (177°C–188°C).
8. Carefully add the pork to the oil. Deep-fry, turning over occasionally, until crispy and fragrant, with a colour to them. Remove using a slotted spoon or spider. Drain on the paper towels.
9. Serve on top of the papaya salad.

Serves 4-6