This is our interpretation of the South East Asian classic, Green Papaya Salad. It’s become a  favourite around R&C HQ for its crunch and its aromatic, spicy flavours. We’ve matched it with Greystone Pinot Gris from New Zealand. The fruitiness balances the chilli and the floral freshness just loves the coriander and basil. Cheers! R&C xx

GREEN PAPAYA SALAD WITH ORGANIC CHICKEN
(serves 8 as entree)
3 organic chicken breasts
6 cloves garlic (or half a bulb), roughly chopped
2 tbsp salt flakes
3 small chillis (two deseeded), roughly chopped
4 tbsp roasted peanuts
2 tbsp palm sugar, grated
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp tamarind water (see instructions below)
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 lime, cut into eight wedges
8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
4 snake beans, cut to 1 cm lengths
1 medium green papaya, shredded
1 bunch green shallots, julienned on the angle to 3cm lengths
1 bunch Thai basil, picked
1 bunch coriander, picked
Sesame oil to garnish

TO MAKE TAMARIND WATER – break off approx 50g of tamarind pulp (available at Asian grocers) place in a bowl and cover with warm water. Allow to soak overnight, or at least for a few hours. When mushy, press all liquid and fruit through a sieve, scrape the bottom of the sieve to make sure you get as much of the pureed fruit as possible. Discard the tamarind that doesn’t come through the sieve. Stir the liquid and puree together, bottle and keep in refrigerator till required.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C
2. On a plate, season chicken with oil, salt and pepper on all sides.
3. Place chicken onto a hot, oven-proof grill plate and grill for two minutes on either side.
4. Bake in the oven for approx 10 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked, but still tender. Set aside to cool.
5. When cooled, use two forks to shred chicken, working along the grain of the meat. Refrigerate until required.
6. In a mortar and pestle, pound garlic, salt and chillis together till well ground, add peanuts and grind till the mixture forms a course paste. Remove and set aside.
7. Place sugar, lime juice, tamarind water and fish sauce into mortar and pestle and grind until sugar is dissolved. Remove and set aside.
If your mortar and pestle is big enough, continue the next steps with it, if not, use a large bowl and the pestle to grind.
8. Return paste to mortar and pestle (or large bowl) and add lime quarters and bruise, just enough for some juice to extract and some of the rind to become aromatic.
9. Add beans and tomatoes, gently bruise, add papaya and continue to bruise. The idea is to incorporate the flavours of each element through the entire dish.
10. Add shallots, basil, coriander and gently toss through. Add chicken, small portions at a time, till you have the desired mix of chicken to salad.
11. Season with the previously set aside dressing of sugar, lime juice, tamarind water and fish sauce.

To serve: Place a heaped handful on the middle of a small entree plate, garnish with basil or coriander flowers if you have them and drizzle with a couple of drops of sesame oil on the outside of the plate.

VARIATION: Don’t add the chicken and serve this dish as a side to prawns, scallops or fish. It’s a perfect accompaniment to most seafood. A traditional option is to serve with pork rind and or coconut rice. However you serve it…enjoy!

Just in case some of these ingredients are unfamiliar, see below:

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