Every week, part of the harvest goes out deliberately at the full green stage. This is not a scheduling accident: green papaya is a vegetable in its own right — firm, barely sweet, holding up perfectly to the grater and taking dressing like a carrot.
For four people
- One medium green papaya, about 700 g
- Two lemons from the orchard
- One small garlic clove, two spoons of groundnut oil
- One fresh chilli, according to each person’s courage
- A handful of crushed roasted peanuts, salt
The method
Peel the papaya, halve it and remove the still-white seeds. Grate the flesh into long threads rather than small pieces: that is what gives the texture. Salt lightly and let it stand for ten minutes, then press it in a cloth to squeeze out the water — this step is the whole difference between a crisp salad and a limp one.
Mix the juice of both lemons, the crushed garlic, the oil and the finely sliced chilli. Pour over the papaya, toss by hand, and let it rest a quarter of an hour in the cool. Add the peanuts at the last moment so they stay crunchy.