Cambodian papaya salad, often called bok lahong, is a bright, savory salad of shredded unripe green papaya pounded with lime, fish sauce, chilies and aromatics. This version includes long beans, tomato, dried shrimp and optional prahok, a pungent fermented fish paste; the balance of salty, sour, sweet and spicy flavors makes it lively alongside rice or grilled food.
Ingredients
- 1 medium unripe green papaya, about 1½ lb (680 g) whole, peeled and seeded; use about 5 cups (450 g) shredded papaya
- 4 oz (115 g) long beans, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; substitute green beans if needed
- 1 cup (150 g) firm ripe tomato, cut into wedges or bite-size pieces
- 2 cloves garlic (about 6 g), peeled
- 1 or 2 Thai bird’s-eye chilies (about 2–4 g), stems removed, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) palm sugar, finely chopped or grated; light brown sugar works as a substitute
- 1 tablespoon (15 g) prahok, Cambodian fermented fish paste, optional but distinctive
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce, plus a little more to taste
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 2 limes
- 2 tablespoons (12 g) ready-to-eat dried shrimp
- ¼ cup (35 g) roasted peanuts, roughly crushed, for serving
Instructions
- Shred the papaya, about 10 minutes. Peel the papaya with a sturdy vegetable peeler, cut it in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and soft center. Rinse and dry the flesh, then shred it into long, thin strips using a julienne peeler, a mandoline with a julienne blade, or the coarse holes of a box grater. Aim for crisp matchsticks rather than a fine, wet pulp. Measure about 5 cups (450 g) for the salad. If the papaya is especially watery, blot the shreds with a clean towel; do not salt them, since salt draws out more liquid.
- Prepare the vegetables, about 5 minutes. Cut the long beans into short pieces and the tomato into wedges. If using a mandoline, keep the papaya stable and use its hand guard. Put the papaya, beans and tomato near the mortar so the dressing can be mixed and served promptly.
- Make the dressing in a mortar, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and chilies to a large mortar and pound just until crushed and fragrant, not into a smooth paste. Add the palm sugar and pound or stir until it begins to dissolve. Add the prahok, if using, then pour in the fish sauce and lime juice. Stir and taste. It should be assertively salty and sour with a little sweetness; the papaya will soften those flavors. If the dressing tastes harshly salty, add lime juice; if it is too sharp, add a pinch more sugar.
- Bruise and dress the salad, about 5 minutes. Add the dried shrimp and long beans to the mortar. Pound lightly a few times to bruise the beans and release their flavor, keeping them in pieces. Add the tomato and papaya in batches. Use a large spoon in one hand and the pestle in the other to lift, turn and gently pound the ingredients together. The goal is to coat and lightly soften the shreds while keeping them crunchy, not to crush everything into a watery mash. If your mortar is too small, transfer the dressing and vegetables to a mixing bowl and toss firmly with clean hands or salad servers.
- Taste and serve, about 1 minute. Taste a strand of papaya with a piece of bean and tomato, rather than tasting only the dressing. Adjust with fish sauce for salt, lime for sourness, sugar for sweetness, or another finely sliced chili for more heat. Scatter the crushed peanuts over the salad and serve straight away.
Tips
- Choose genuinely unripe papaya. The skin should be green and the flesh pale, firm and crisp, with little to no sweetness. Ripe orange-fleshed papaya is too soft and sweet for this salad. If a whole green papaya is unavailable, use a firm, mild green mango or a mix of shredded daikon and cucumber; both change the flavor and texture, so add dressing gradually and taste as you go.
- Handle prahok thoughtfully. Prahok gives the dressing a deep, fermented savoriness and is a defining ingredient in many Cambodian versions, but its aroma and saltiness can be strong. Use a small amount, taste before adding extra fish sauce, and omit it if you cannot find it. A small dab of shrimp paste can add some fermented depth, but it is not the same flavor; extra fish sauce alone gives a cleaner, less complex result.
- Control the pounding. A mortar and pestle help bruise the beans and mix the dressing into the papaya. Use short, gentle strokes and turn the ingredients as you work. Hard pounding makes the tomato collapse and releases excess liquid, while simply pouring dressing over untouched shreds can leave the flavor uneven. A large bowl and firm tossing are a good alternative if you do not have a mortar.
- Adjust chili and salt in small increments. Chilies vary greatly in heat, so start with one and add more after tasting. Fish sauce and prahok also vary in saltiness. The salad should taste vivid rather than flat, but it is easier to add seasoning than to correct an overly salty or spicy dressing.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Cambodian papaya salad as soon as it is dressed, when the papaya is still crisp and the lime has not drawn much liquid from the vegetables. It works as a shared side dish with steamed jasmine rice, grilled vegetables, or grilled chicken, pork or fish. For a meal with several dishes, pair its sour, salty dressing with something mild and warm, such as plain rice or a simple soup, rather than adding several other strongly seasoned sides.
Set out extra lime wedges, fish sauce and crushed peanuts so diners can adjust their portions. If serving people with different spice preferences, keep the chilies on the side or make the salad with one chili and offer sliced chilies separately. A serving spoon is useful because a little of the dressing collects at the bottom of the bowl; toss the salad once more just before passing it around.
Variations
Households and regions vary the balance and additions in Cambodian papaya salad, so this recipe is one practical version rather than a claim that there is only one correct formula. Some preparations use more prahok or include small salted crabs; others lean more heavily on lime and fish sauce. If using salted crab, choose a product intended to be eaten as prepared, and account for its saltiness by holding back some fish sauce until the salad is mixed.
For a less pungent dressing, leave out the prahok and add fish sauce a teaspoon at a time. For a vegetarian adaptation, omit both prahok and dried shrimp and use a vegetarian fish-sauce alternative or light soy sauce; the result will be less seafood-savory, so balance carefully with lime and a small amount of sugar. To make it nut-free, leave off the peanuts and add toasted sesame seeds only if sesame is suitable for everyone at the table.
For extra color and crunch, add a small handful of shredded carrot or a few additional tomato wedges, but keep papaya as the main ingredient. You can also serve the crushed peanuts separately, which keeps them crisp and lets each person choose how much to add. Avoid adding too many watery vegetables: they dilute the dressing and make the salad soggy sooner.
Storage and Reheating
This salad is best eaten immediately and is not a good make-ahead dish once dressed. If you need to prepare in advance, refrigerate the shredded papaya, cut beans and tomato separately in covered containers, and keep the dressing in a sealed container. Assemble and pound or toss them together just before serving; add the peanuts at the table so they stay crunchy. Keep all prepared ingredients refrigerated and return them to the refrigerator promptly.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of serving, in a covered container, and use them within 1 day for the best texture. The papaya will soften and release liquid as it sits, so the salad may be less crisp even when safely chilled. Drain excess liquid and taste before serving; the flavors can seem more concentrated after storage. This is a cold salad, so reheating is neither needed nor recommended. Discard it if it has been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Cambodian papaya salad without a mortar and pestle?
Yes. Crush the garlic and chili with the flat side of a knife, then stir them with the sugar, prahok, fish sauce and lime juice in a bowl. Put the beans in a large mixing bowl and press them gently with a sturdy spoon or the base of a small jar, then add the papaya and dressing and toss firmly. The texture will be a little less integrated, but the salad will still have the right crisp, sour-salty character.
Where can I find green papaya and prahok?
Green papaya is commonly available at Southeast Asian groceries and some larger international markets. Look for firm fruit with green skin and pale flesh, not a papaya that has turned orange inside. Prahok is sold at some Cambodian and Southeast Asian shops, often in a jar or tub. If you cannot find it, omit it or use the small substitution described above; do not use sweet ripe papaya as a direct replacement.
How do I keep the salad crunchy?
Start with firm unripe papaya, shred it shortly before serving, and use a light hand with the pestle. Add the dressing only when you are ready to eat, and avoid salting the shredded papaya in advance. If the papaya is very wet, blot it dry. A small amount of liquid at the bottom is normal, but a puddle usually means the vegetables were over-pounded or dressed too early.
Is Cambodian papaya salad very spicy?
It can be, but the heat is easy to control. Use one small Thai chili for a gentle background warmth, or remove its seeds and inner ribs before pounding for a milder result. For a group, make the dressing with little or no chili and serve sliced chilies separately. Keep in mind that the sharp lime and salty fish sauce are part of the salad’s boldness even when it is not hot.
Can I use shredded green papaya sold in a package?
Yes, if it is plain, fresh shredded green papaya with no dressing or seasoning. Check that it is crisp and has been kept refrigerated, and use it promptly according to the package date. Packaged shreds may be finer or wetter than freshly cut ones, so blot them if needed and begin with slightly less lime juice, adding more after tasting.
Related
- Cambodian Sour Soup Recipe with Fish and Tamarind
- Cambodian Stir-Fry Recipe with Lemongrass and Basil
- Cambodian Curry Soup: A Fragrant Chicken and Coconut Recipe
More recipes to cook
Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it (corrections policy).