Luang Prabang Papaya Salad
What is Luang Prabang papaya salad?
Luang Prabang papaya salad is a delightful twist on the traditional Lao papaya salad that many have come to love. Hailing from Laos' cultural and culinary capital, this variation features wide strands of unripe papaya that bear a striking resemblance to fettuccine noodles. This unique presentation sets it apart and adds an appealing texture to the dish.
One of the key differences in the Luang Prabang version is the inclusion of green bird eye chili peppers, which impart a distinctive spicy flavor that elevates the salad’s heat level. Additionally, the use of yellow tomatoes introduces a less sweet, more savory aspect, perfectly complementing the other ingredients.
Despite these variations, Luang Prabang papaya salad remains true to the essence of Lao cuisine—bold, funky, and intensely flavorful. This dish celebrates the robust flavors that Lao food is known for, making it a must-try for anyone who appreciates the vibrant tastes of Laos.
Ingredients Needed for Luang Prabang Papaya Salad
garlic clove: you don’t want too big of a clove as it can overpower the salad
palm sugar: provides a caramel and brown sugar taste
whole green bird eye chili peppers: these are not as spicy as the red ones and it gives an extra sour and citrusy flavor
crab paste: important ingredient to intensify the dish with the signature black color
shrimp paste: adds the pungent, fishy salty flavors
tamarind paste: adds the sweet and sour flavors and thickens the sauce
fish sauce: helps balance the sugar
padaek: its not Lao without this extra pungent unfiltered fish sauce
msg: boosts the umami flavors
unripe green papaya: make sure its not ripe or else you won’t get a crunchy salad
yellow tomatoes: this dish promotes using the unripe forms of tomatoes to give it a slightly different flavor
lime: adds the tart and acidic flavors
How to Cut the Papaya
Ensure the papaya you use is unripe and green. To check, gently squeeze it—if it's firm, it's ready. If the papaya has a slight orange tint, you can still use it, but the green papaya gives the salad its desired crunch.
A key feature of this papaya salad is how the papaya is cut. Start by peeling the papaya, then cut it in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Use a sharp knife to carefully slice the papaya into thin, lengthwise strands. Alternatively, you can use a peeler (click here to see the one I enjoy using) for even strands. You can leave the strands as they are or cut them thinner, like fettuccine.
Selecting the Peppers and Tomatoes
The first time I had Luang Prabang papaya salad in Luang Prabang, I was inspired by how it used plenty of unripe tomatoes and peppers, which influenced my own recipe. For the cherry tomatoes, you’ll find several varieties at most grocery stores. As for green bird's eye chili peppers, they can be seasonal, but if you're lucky, you might find them in stock. I love how these two ingredients add a unique twist to the sauce, bringing a citrusy and extra sour flavor.
Making the Papaya Salad Sauce
Every family has their own preferred order for making papaya salad sauce, and here’s mine for this style. Start by adding garlic, peppers, a pinch of salt, and palm sugar. Since palm sugar can be dense and hard to break down, this ensures it dissolves completely before adding the other ingredients. Next, add the thicker pastes like shrimp paste and crab paste, making sure they blend well so there are no chunks left in the sauce. Then, add fish sauce, unfiltered fish sauce (padaek), and MSG.
Some people like to finish the sauce completely before adding the papaya, but I was taught to add the papaya first, followed by the tomatoes, whole salted crab, and lime. Gently pound and mix everything until every strand is well coated with the sauce.
Other Styles of Papaya Salad
Depending on where you are in Laos, you will encounter endless amounts of papaya salad in different variations and forms. I’ll link you to a few of my favorites.
Serving Suggestions
Papaya salad is best eaten right after it is mixed with the sauce. Plate it in a plate with plenty of room for the liquid. Enjoy with freshly cooked Lao sticky rice and some of your favorite Lao grilled meats.