In this Vietnamese style salad, shredded green papaya and roast duck get tossed with lots of fresh herbs and a punchy fish sauce-based dressing. It’s crunchy, tangy, refreshing, and full of flavor.
- Prep Time:
45 mins * - Cook Time:
0 mins - Total Time:
45 mins
* Includes time for shredding the roast duck.
First, let’s clear up two things right away shall we?
1. This salad is similar but is not the same as Thai green papaya salad (aka som tum or som tam). There are no tomatoes or long beans and there is no need for a mortar and pestle. However, there is still a deeply flavorful dressing made with fish sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, and sugar and this Vietnamese papaya salad is full of amazing flavor just like its Thai cousin.
2. This recipe is not about the roast duck and does not include instructions on how to roast your own duck. However, I will share some information on where to get your hands on some good roast duck (especially if you live in Houston).
Sourcing Ingredients for Green Papaya Salad
Now that we’ve cleared up those 2 items, we can talk about how to make this salad. At first glance, the ingredients may feel foreign and hard to get. Let’s tackle them one by one.
Green Papaya
Green papaya is simply unripe papaya. You want to look for a papaya that is still very green on the outside and hard to the touch. If it’s soft at all, you won’t be able to shred it properly and the salad won’t be crunchy. It’s OK if the inside has started to turn color (like what you see in these photos) as long as the texture is still really firm. The salad will be less tart the less green the papaya is but will taste equally good.
Although some recipes say you can sub in shredded cabbage for green papaya, I have never found this to be a good alternative. I would rather wait until I can get green papaya.
To prep the papaya, first trim the ends and peel away all the skin using a vegetable peeler. Then cut the papaya in half lengthwise and remove the seeds by scooping them out with a spoon. Julienne cut the papaya by hand using a very sharp knife or use a specialty grater like this one from Kiwi Brand (not an affiliate link) that is designed specifically for this type of grating.
If you live in Houston, Viet Hoa International Foods has fresh green papaya already peeled and shredded available in their produce section. This is actually my preferred option when I make this salad. In fact, they also have the fresh herbs and roast duck that you’ll want for this salad for sale there too.
Rau Răm (Vietnamese Coriander)
Rau răm is an herb with a sharp spicy flavor that is stronger than cilantro or mint. It’s used throughout southeast Asian cuisine. For me it’s the flavor that makes this salad distinctly Vietnamese. Rau răm is also called Vietnamese coriander or Vietnamese mint but has long pointed leaves. I have only been able to find it at Asian grocery stores.
Standard cilantro can be substituted if you can’t find rau răm.
Roast Duck
It’s true that roast duck isn’t the usual protein for most papaya salads. Shrimp and beef jerky are more common. However, after having the duck salad at Huynh Restaurant and trying this recipe with both duck and shrimp, I decided that duck works really well here.
The best place to source roast duck is, honestly, at a roast duck shop (you know, the ones with the hanging ducks in the window). If there’s a Chinatown where you live, there will be such a shop. Ducks are usually sold in whole or half duck portions. They will offer to chop it for you but realize that the meat will still be on the bone so you’ll need to spend some time removing the meat from the bones before using it in the salad.
If roast duck isn’t available to you, cooked shrimp will also work.
If you’re already at an Asian grocery store buying other ingredients for this salad, check to see if they have a hot foods section. If so, there’s a good chance they’ll have roast duck for sale.
All the Extras
Papaya salad lends itself to all kinds of extra toppings and add-ins.
Fried shallots and chopped roasted peanuts add extra crunch. Although you can fry your own shallots, it’s often easier to just buy a jar of fried shallots.
Chopped mangos add some sweetness. Look for mangoes that are ripe but still a little firm.
If you want to really go all out, fried prawn crackers are a fun addition. Prawn crackers or prawn chips are sold uncooked and look like discs of plastic. Once they are deep fried in hot oil, they puff up and become light and airy chips.
Vietnamese Papaya Salad with Roast Duck
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Description
In this Vietnamese style salad, shredded green papaya and roast duck get tossed with lots of fresh herbs and a punchy fish sauce-based dressing. It’s crunchy, tangy, refreshing, and full of flavor.
Ingredients
For the dressing
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 Thai red chili, finely chopped (very optional)
For the salad
- 1 green papaya (about 2 pounds), shredded
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh rau răm (see Note 1)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
- 1–2 cups shredded roast duck
- Optional add-ins and toppings: fried shallots, roasted peanuts, Thai chilis, chopped mango, prawn chips
Instructions
For the dressing
- Mix. In a small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
For the salad
- Prep papaya. Trim away the ends of the papaya. Then peel papaya and cut it in half lengthwise. Remove and discard seeds by scooping them out with a spoon.
- Cut papaya. Shred the the papaya by either cutting it into julienne strips using a sharp knife or use a specialty grater (see Note 2). You should have about 4-5 cups of shredded papaya.
- Mix. To the papaya, add the rau răm, mint, and shredded duck. Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss until evenly mixed.
- Serve. Divide the salad among serving plates, top with any additional optional toppings, and serve.
Notes
- Standard cilantro can be substituted if you can’t find rau răm.
- It is easiest to shred the papaya using a specialty grater like this version from Kiwi Brand (not an affiliate link). It’s even easier if you can find it already shredded. Look for it in the produce section of some Asian grocery stores.
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