Eva Pau's Asian Kitchen30 Minutes

Prawns and Thai Green Papaya Salad

Name: Prawns and Thai Green Papaya Salad
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 80g Cooked Prawns; 1 green papaya, peeled and finely shredded; 1 carrot, finely shredded; 2 garlic cloves; 6 cherry tomatoes halved; 3 tbsp Fish Sauce; 3 tbsp fresh lime juice; 2 tbsp of palm sugar syrup; 1 small birds eye chili (optional); 2 tbsp roasted peanuts

I usually use a special Pestle and Mortar which is made from a tall edged terracotta bowl and a massive wooden pestle, perfect for mixing all the flavours together and keeping the sauce and papaya together. However, you can start in a small Pestle and Mortar and transfer. Or you can use a food processor.

Eva PauFrom the series · Eva Pau's Asian Kitchen

30 min totalServes 2Easy

Time30 min

Serves2

SkillEasy

ShowEva Pau's Asian Kitchen

Method

In a large pestle and mortar, add in the garlic and chilli if using. Crush it for a few seconds.

Then add in the cherry tomatoes, fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar and crush them together for 1 minute.

Add your shredded papaya and carrot into the pestle and mortar and toss with a pair of tongs or chopsticks. Otherwise, mix together the papaya, carrot in a large bowl and pour the sauce from the pestle and mortar and toss together.

Add the cooked prawns and garnish with some roasted peanuts. Ready to serve.

Cook's notes

Pounding rather than tossing is the point - a few seconds of bruising the tomatoes and papaya lets them soak up the dressing and softens the shreds just enough.
Taste and balance the dressing before it's all mixed; you're after equal pull between salty (fish sauce), sour (lime) and sweet (palm sugar), so adjust to your palate.
Shred the papaya and carrot as finely as you can so they stay crisp yet take on the sauce; a julienne peeler makes quick work of it.
Birds eye chilli is fierce - start with less than you think and crush it early with the garlic to spread the heat through the dressing.
Add the peanuts right at the end so they keep their crunch against the wet salad.

Serve with Lovely on its own as a light lunch, or serve alongside steamed sticky rice and grilled or barbecued meat in the Thai style. A cold beer stands up well to the chilli and lime.

Make ahead & storage Best eaten fresh, while the papaya still has crunch and the peanuts are crisp. If you must get ahead, keep the dressing separate and dress just before serving; once tossed it softens within a few hours.

30 MinutesAsian

Recipe by Eva Pau · From the series Eva Pau's Asian Kitchen · Photography © Appetite Media
Published 13 July 2026 · Updated 15 July 2026

Made it? Leave a comment

Tell us how it went — swaps that worked, tips for the next cook, or just how it tasted. Comments appear once they've been checked by the team.

Keep cooking

More from Eva Pau

All Eva's recipes

Chinese Prawn and Egg Fried Rice

30 min

Eva Pau's Asian KitchenChinese Prawn and Egg Fried Rice

Eva Pau

SimpIe Sushi - Easy Hand Rolls Sushi

30 min

Eva Pau's Asian KitchenSimpIe Sushi - Easy Hand Rolls Sushi

Eva Pau

Mango and Coconut Sticky Rice Dessert

30 min

Eva Pau's Asian KitchenMango and Coconut Sticky Rice Dessert

Eva Pau