This green papaya pad Thai is a fantastic alternative for anyone cutting back on grains or rice! In many ways similar to a traditional pad Thai, this one replaces the rice noodles with fresh green papaya. The result is delicious, bright, light, and filling without weighing you down.
Ingredient Preparation
Ideally, you would use a Thai-style shredder to shred the papaya (or carrots, if you can’t find a green papaya). Unfortunately, many of us outside of Thailand don’t have one of those! Unless you have exceptional knife skills (in which case you already know how to replicate shredded papaya), your best bet is to use the largest holes on a box grater. Another option is a mandoline with a shredding blade.
Can You Make This Vegetarian?
Yes! To create a vegetarian version of this dish, simply replace the pork with bite-sized pieces of hearty mushrooms. (I also like to increase the amount of tofu a bit.) You’ll also need to substitute for the fish sauce. Use soy sauce, plus mushroom steeping water if you have it on hand, or even a pinch of mushroom powder.
Substitution Options
Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to find Thai ingredients all over the world! If you’re struggling with these, here are some substitution options you can use instead. They’re not
Green papaya: substitute an equal amount of carrots. The final flavor won’t be exactly the same, but Aey herself makes a carrot version, so it’s definitely an approved alternative.
Palm oil: substitute an equal amount of vegetable oil.
Pork: substitute chicken, or use mushrooms and extra tofu for a vegetarian version of the dish!
Chives: substitute green onions/scallions.
Pickled radish: very difficult to substitute, omit if necessary! The final dish will still be delicious.
Fish sauce: substitute an equal amount of soy sauce, a combination of soy sauce and rice vinegar, a combination of soy sauce and mushroom water (from steeping dried mushrooms), or soy sauce and a finely minced anchovy. If you have mushroom powder, add a pinch to help boost that umami flavor in the dish!
Tamarind paste: substitute an equal amount of a half-and-half mixture of lemon or lime juice and brown sugar.
Palm sugar: substitute an equal amount of brown sugar or even maple syrup.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon palm oil
- 1/2 cup pork, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1/8 cup tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon roughly chopped garlic
- 1 egg
- 1 green papaya, shredded (about 4 cups)
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- a few chives, cut into 2” pieces (plus one whole chive for garnish)
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon peanut pieces
- 1 tablespoon pickled radish, minced
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar
- 1 lime wedge for garnish
Instructions:
In a large wok on high heat, heat the oil and add the pork and tofu. Cook for a few moments until the pork is mostly cooked through, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, just a few seconds.Add the egg on top of everything and break the yolk, but don’t stir or scramble. Once the egg has halfway set, flip everything upside down and continue to cook until the egg is done.
Add all of the remaining ingredients. Fry, stirring, using your spoon to break up the palm sugar and help it melt. Once the papaya has started to become tender, remove from the heat and serve garnished with a chive and a lime wedge.
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