TUM MAK HUONG (LAO PAPAYA SALAD)
SERVING: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 small green unripe papaya (about 2 cups)
4 red chilli peppers (or to taste)
1 clove garlic, skinned
7 cherry tomatoes, cut each in half
1 teaspoon shrimp paste
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoon fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon Sugar
1 tablespoon Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)

PREPARATION:
1. Peel the skin off the papaya, clean it with water, and then shred (don't use the seeds).

2. Combine red chilli peppers and garlic in the mortar pestle and crush them.

3. Toss the shredded papaya into the mortar pestle and then add the shrimp paste, cherry tomatoes, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and Monosodium Glutamate.

4. Pound for 1-2 minutes, mixing with a spoon while pounding.

5. If needed, taste it and add ingredients (e.g. sugar, fish sauce) according to your preference and then pound it again for half minute.

6. Serve immediately with cabbage or lettuce leaves. Goes well with Lao style BBQ chicken and steamed sticky rice.

DONE!