When a Michelin-trained private chef writes about food, you know it’s gotta be good and that’s exactly what Zen Chef at Zen Can Cook (previously known as Chefs Gone Wild) delivers–a food blog choked full of scrumptious dishes that rival the finest and best restaurants around. Zen is always wacky, hilarious, and I admire his cooking and wicked writing style (read this guest post and you’ll know what I mean!). He always provides great entertainment to his readers through his blog so you really have to check out his now spankingly new blog. Please welcome Zen Can Cook and his grilled shrimp and green papaya and mango salad to Rasa Malaysia. I am not sure about you but my stomach is growling at the very sight of this visually pleasing and utterly tantalizing dish. And Zen, you can be my private chef anytime!
Grilled Shrimp with Green Papaya and Mango Salad
Guest Writer: Zen Can Cook
When the lovely Bee over at Rasa Malaysia asked me to guest post on her beautiful blog I almost freaked out. Rasa Malaysia isn’t a blog. Rasa Malaysia is a mammoth of a blog! Me, I’m just a mice of a food blogger who lives in a hole in a dark corner of the internet. This is one of the first blogs I discovered when I started blogging about two years ago and one that shines bright in the blogospheric firmament. Needless to say, I feel very honored to be here in front of Rasa Malaysia’s audience and I promise to do my best not to break anything in my short stay here. To make the best impression I can even offer to vacuum and take out the garbage after I’m done. Hmm.. Excuse me.. sir!?.. err.. Fine!.. I will mop the floor, too! I do not want to be mauled by a mob of hungry RM fans! The old paper bag trick took care of my hyperventilation, I did my affirmations and half a bottle of Tequila later I think I’m finally ready for the spotlight. Let me tell you, this is more pressure than having a Michelin starred chef looking over your shoulder. Let’s start shall we?
[silence followed by gargling sound]…(get zen’ed and grilled shrimp and green papaya salad recipe after the jump)
Green papaya salad is a classic and popular Vietnamese dish. Maybe it doesn’t sound like much to some people but I guarantee you it’s one with high impact and pleasing value. What you get is a salad that is sweet, spicy, crunchy, cool and refreshing at the same time and the perfect match for grilled shrimp. It’s like a little vacation on a plate! I’m French and I was really tempted to work frog legs into the dish or serve the whole thing over toasted baguette but thank God…I did not. I kept it pretty classic except for a few exceptions. For one my papaya wasn’t green enough. A green papaya should have white seeds, mine were on their way to ripeness so I improvised and used a green mango too and some jicama and carrots for extra crunch and it worked beautifully. It’s a very adaptable dish so feel free to use and experiment with any combinations you like. Mung bean sprouts would be a great addition too. To finish it off the salad is tossed with a delicious Vietnamese dressing made with lime juice, garlic-chili powder and nam pla and the whole thing is sprinkled with chopped peanuts. Yum and enjoy!
Now if you excuse me. I have some blogkeeping to do.
[Picks up a broom and starts sweeping]
Vietnamese Dressing:
1/2 teaspoon garlic-chili paste
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon chopped mint
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro stems
Salad:
1 green papaya, julienned
1 green mango, julienned
1/2 jicama, julienned
1 carrot, julienned
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
Fresh mint, roughly chopped
Fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 thai bird chile, sliced (optional)
Shrimp:
16 jumbo shrimp
salt and pepper
Wooden skewers
Method:
Toss together the julienned papaya, mango, carrots, jicama and herbs in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients of the dressing together and set aside.
Place the shrimp on wooden skewers. Four per person. Season with salt and pepper and grill, about 2 minutes on each side.
While the shrimp are grilling pour the dressing over the salad and toss together. Dress on a platter and generously sprinkle with the chopped peanuts. Place the grilled shrimp skewers on top and serve. Lime wedges on the side.
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{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
This sounds refreshing and delicious! The salad sounds like a perfect match for grilled shrimp.
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nancy replied:
lisaicooking Did you do the recipe for Bulgogi on yahoo answers?
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I am a Vietnamese and I must say that this dish looks so good and I have no doubt that Zen Chef’s grilled shrimp with green mango salad is lip-smackingly good.
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I love Vietnamese green papaya salad, but I think Thai also has this dish, or maybe they used mango. I am not sure. Either way, this is a light and funny post and I love it. Thanks Zen Chef.
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What a lovely refreshing recipe. It’s one that I will definitely try. Thanks, Zen Can Cook and Rasa Malaysia!
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Wow, love it. Rasanya enak sekali.
Cheers,
elra
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zenchef replied:
Okay.. i need to know what that means. Someone.. anyone? Bee? :-)
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
Zen, it means your food stinks and looks like baby puke.
Just kidding, it means they are so very delicious-est.
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You are bringing some of my favorite bloggers onto here Bee! Love this recipe Zen. I am already tasting a forkful, followed by the most delicious white wine my imagination can summon.
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These shrimps are perfect for me! I’ve foud some this morning at the market. I know how to cook them now (on my barbecue of course!). Thanks…
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The pictures are very appetizing, and the descriptions are very mouth watering, makes my imaginations go wild and in turn my stomach growls eventhough I’ve already had my lunch.. :) Bravo Zen and Bee !!!
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That’s a great shot! And a great solution to getting stuck with a too-ripe green papaya…happens to me once and awhile and I want to scream when I cut it open to realize it’s not going to have the crunchy crispy goodness I was hoping for. I’ll give this a whirl!
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zenchef replied:
That’s exactly what i did… i screamed! :-)
What’s so great about cooking is that we can always improvise!
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I can eat grilled shrimp 365 days, and couple with green papaya salad, I will eat both for life!
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gosh! delicious..stomach was growling as i was reading..just have to figure out how to get green papaya here in dublin..hmmm
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Ohhhh this looks so delicious! Thanks for the recipe Zen and thank you Bee for notifying us of Zen -another foodie blog to add to my favourites! :)
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Nice!! I love the combination of flavors–sounds like a perfect summer dish :)
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This grilled shrimp with green papaya salad looks like perfect match in food heaven for summer! Drool.
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Thank you all for the nice comments! :-)
Bee.. i almost finished mopping the floor. Let me know when i can go home. :-)
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Very summery and wonderful flavours!
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Stephan’s work is always outstanding. This is another winner!
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Delicious salad and I really love this dressing …perfect! Had so much fun reading Zen chef’s blog!
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grilled shrimp, exotic salads, unpronounceable accolades - looks like job well done…now when can I have a taste?
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you work on that blogkeeping! you go.
Seriously though, lovely post. You do write so well.
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I agree with Eating365! I could eat grilled shrimp and papaya salad every day!! Where were you for Mother’s Day??! I would certainly have forced this recipe on my hubby for my Mother’s Day lunch AND maybe dinner. :)
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