Green Papaya Salad with Grilled Shrimp

This Thai Green Papaya Salad with Grilled Shrimp is served with a flavourful Sweet-and-Sour Sauce. It is a great party dish to pass around.

8 appetizer size servings or 4 salads
Ingredients
8 unpeeled large fresh shrimp
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
8 butter lettuce leaves

Green Papaya Salad-see recipe below
Thai Sweet-and-Sour Sauce- see recipe below

Method
Toss together first 6 ingredients in an 11- x 7-inch baking dish or a large heavy zip lock bag.. Place shrimp on skewers, place in marinade, place in the refrigerator for a one to three hours.

Heat barbecue, grill shrimp being careful to not overcook.
Cool shrimp completely, remove from skewers, peel and devein, leaving the tail intact.

Cover shrimp and chill in refrigerator.
Place butter lettuce leaves on a serving platter. With a slotted spoon, divide Green Papaya Salad evenly among lettuce leaves. Top each with a shrimp. Serve with Thai Sweet-and-Sour Sauce.

Green Papaya Salad
Ingredients
2 cups shredded under-ripe papaya (green and firm to touch)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 Tbs minced garlic
1-2 Thai Chiles, minced
1+ tsp fish sauce

Taste and adjust lime-fish sauce-chiles to your taste

Preparation

Combine all ingredients, tossing gently; cover and chill.

Drain well before serving.

Thai Sweet and Sour Dressing

Ingredients
1/2 cup Thai chili garlic sauce *
1/4 cup water or coconut water
2 Tbs rice vinegar
1 Tbs minced fresh ginger
1 Tbs date palm sugar sugar

Preparation
Easy peeling of garlic: Use the back of the bowl of a teaspoon and scrape. This removes just a very thin layer – the skin of the garlic. Now use a micro plane to grate the ginger.

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer. Remove from heat; cover and chill thoroughly.

*Thai Chili Garlic Sauce is available at Asian markets