Name: Gỏi đu đủ tôm thịt
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 70 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 600 g green papaya, edible weight after peeling and removing seeds, finely julienned; 100 g carrot, peeled and finely julienned; 12 g Vietnamese coriander (rau răm), leaves thinly sliced; 8 g fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced; 8 g Thai basil leaves, thinly sliced; 8 g cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped; 220 g boneless pork belly, one piece; 225 g raw shrimp, peeled and deveined; 4 g fine salt, for the pork poaching water; most is discarded; 2 litres drinking water, for poaching pork; discard after cooking; 1 litre drinking water, for cooking shrimp separately; discard after cooking; 30 ml fish sauce; check the label for fish and other allergens; 45 ml fresh lime juice, about 2 limes; 30 ml drinking water; 20 g granulated sugar; 8 g garlic, finely minced; 5 g fresh red chile, finely minced; remove seeds for less heat; 30 g unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, roughly chopped; major allergen; 1.5 litres cold drinking water; 500 g ice, for chilling the papaya; drain away

Wide tabletop view: the papaya, shrimp and pork salad sits on the right side of the frame, with open sunlit wood to the left. — A wide composition leaves open tabletop beside the freshly tossed Vietnamese salad.

Yield 4 servings

Cook 30 minutes

Passive 15 minutes for cooling

Total 1 hour 10 minutes

Calories per serving About 490 kcal

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Gỏi đu đủ tôm thịt

Gỏi đu đủ tôm thịt brings together crisp unripe papaya, shrimp, pork, herbs and a tangy fish-sauce dressing. This version follows a Nam Bộ style from southern Vietnam. Versions of the salad vary: some use pork belly and several herbs, while others add carrot, rau răm or different crunchy garnishes. Sweet-sour balances also vary. This home version measures the sugar and lime for a practical balance; it is one interpretation rather than a single regional formula.

The papaya is briefly chilled in ice water to keep its fine shreds crisp. Pork and shrimp are cooked separately, cooled, then tossed with the vegetables and herbs shortly before serving. A small amount of dressing seasons the salad; chopped roasted peanuts add a savory crunch and are clearly marked as an allergen.

Practical

Tips for successChoose fully green, firm papaya; ripe fruit will soften and release too much juice. Use a julienne peeler or mandoline with its hand guard, and keep fingers away from the blade. Dry the papaya thoroughly after its cold bath so the dressing clings instead of pooling. Cool the pork and shrimp before they meet the fresh herbs. Keep raw-protein utensils and boards separate from produce. Add the dressing and peanuts close to serving so the salad stays crisp.

Ingredients

Salad

600 g green papaya, edible weight after peeling and removing seeds, finely julienned
100 g carrot, peeled and finely julienned
12 g Vietnamese coriander (rau răm), leaves thinly sliced
8 g fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
8 g Thai basil leaves, thinly sliced
8 g cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped

Poached pork and shrimp

220 g boneless pork belly, one piece
225 g raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 g fine salt, for the pork poaching water; most is discarded
2 litres drinking water, for poaching pork; discard after cooking
1 litre drinking water, for cooking shrimp separately; discard after cooking

Dressing and finish

30 ml fish sauce; check the label for fish and other allergens
45 ml fresh lime juice, about 2 limes
30 ml drinking water
20 g granulated sugar
8 g garlic, finely minced
5 g fresh red chile, finely minced; remove seeds for less heat
30 g unsalted dry-roasted peanuts, roughly chopped; major allergen

Papaya bath

1.5 litres cold drinking water
500 g ice, for chilling the papaya; drain away

Method

Put the pork belly, 2 litres water and salt in a pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook until the centre of the thickest part reaches at least 63°C / 145°F. Rest the pork for 3 minutes, transfer it to a clean shallow plate and let it cool for 15 minutes.
Bring 1 litre fresh water to a boil in a separate saucepan. Add the shrimp and cook until opaque and the thickest shrimp reaches 63°C / 145°F, about 2–3 minutes. Drain with a clean strainer and cool promptly.
Whisk the fish sauce, lime juice, 30 ml water and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the garlic and chile.
Peel the papaya, remove its seeds and finely julienne it. Julienne the carrot. Put the papaya in a bowl with 1.5 litres cold water and the ice for 5 minutes; drain very well and spin or pat dry.
Slice the cooled pork thinly across the grain. If the shrimp are large, halve them lengthwise. Keep both chilled if you are not assembling the salad right away.
Toss the papaya and carrot with about two-thirds of the dressing. Let stand for 5 minutes, then drain any free liquid so the vegetables stay crisp.
Fold in the herbs, pork and shrimp. Drizzle with the remaining dressing, toss gently, top with chopped peanuts and serve promptly.
Refrigerate perishable components within 2 hours (within 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F), in shallow containers at or below 4°C / 40°F. Keep leftovers up to 3 days; if serving them hot, reheat pork and shrimp to 74°C / 165°F.

Practical

Practical guidance

The dressing can be mixed a day ahead and refrigerated in a covered container. Cook and chill the pork and shrimp ahead, storing them separately from the papaya, herbs and dressing. Toss the salad shortly before eating; dressed papaya softens as it stands. Rau răm has a distinctive peppery aroma. If it is unavailable, use extra cilantro and mint, understanding that the herb profile will differ. For a milder salad, remove the chile seeds or omit the chile.

Troubleshooting

The salad turns watery: The papaya may not have been dried well or it stood dressed too long. Drain the free liquid and dress just before serving. The papaya is soft: It may have been ripe or cut too thickly. Start with firm green fruit and slice it into fine, even strands. The dressing tastes too sharp: Whisk in a little more water and taste before adding it all; do not add extra fish sauce without checking the saltiness. The pork is tough: Slice it thinly across the grain after it has cooled; always confirm the safe internal temperature before slicing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I prepare the salad ahead? Prepare the dressing, pork and shrimp ahead and refrigerate them separately. Shred and dress the papaya close to serving so it remains crisp. Can I leave out the peanuts? Yes. The salad will still work, but it will lose the nutty crunch. Do not serve peanuts to anyone with a peanut allergy, and prevent cross-contact.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Serving sizeOne quarter of the finished salad, including about 150 g raw papaya, 55 g raw pork belly, 56 g raw shrimp and 7.5 g peanuts
Calories490 kcal
Carbohydrate27 g
Protein20 g
Fat34 g
Fibre4 g
Sodium800 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains crustacean shellfish (shrimp), fish (fish sauce) and peanuts. Check packaged fish sauce and peanuts for additional ingredients and cross-contact warnings. Keep raw pork and shrimp refrigerated at or below 4°C / 40°F and separate from produce and ready-to-eat herbs. Cook pork to at least 63°C / 145°F and rest 3 minutes; cook shrimp to 63°C / 145°F. Refrigerate perishable components within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F, at or below 4°C / 40°F. Use leftovers within 3 days; reheat meat and seafood leftovers to 74°C / 165°F.

To finish

Serve the salad as soon as it is tossed, while the papaya is crisp and the herbs are fresh.
Keep any remaining components covered and chilled, then use leftovers within 3 days.

Gỏi đu đủ tôm thịt

Practical

Ingredients

Salad

Poached pork and shrimp

Dressing and finish

Papaya bath

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

Frequently asked questions

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Allergens and food safety

To finish

Vietnamese National Dishes

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