Have raw papaya at home, but don't know how to use it? Try out this recipe.

Som Tam (green papaya) salad

Recipe by Vijesh Modi, Senior Sous Chef, The Deltin, Daman.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium green papaya
• 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
• 1-2 Persian cucumber
• 1/3 cup mint leaves
• 4 tbsp sunflower seeds, toasted

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 3 tbsp maple syrup or sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp Kosher salt
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp shallots, chopped
• 1-2 bird's eye chilli pepper, sliced

Method:

For the dressing:

• Mix all the ingredients for the dressing in a small bowl and set aside.
• Slice off the ends of the green papaya. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the outer skin. Hold the peeled papaya with one hand and tap the papaya with a sharp knife with your other hand. You should see shallow knife marks on the papaya. Carefully slice off a layer of the papaya (where you have been tapping), to create green papaya shreds. You only need about 4½ cups of shredded green papaya.
• In a large bowl, mix the green papaya, carrots, cucumber, mint and sunflower seeds. Pour in the dressing that has been marinating and toss to coat the vegetables with the dressing. Serve immediately.