Vietnamese Green Papaya Salad (Goi Du Du)

About This Recipe

Goi du du is Vietnam's version of the shredded green papaya salad found across Southeast Asia, distinguished by its balance of fish sauce, lime, sugar, and chile pounded together into a dressing that coats the crisp, barely-ripe papaya shreds. Fresh herbs and crushed peanuts finish the dish with texture and aroma. Using truly unripe, green papaya is essential — its firm, almost crunchy flesh is what gives the salad its signature texture; ripe papaya would turn the dish mushy and overly sweet.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1green papaya(about 600g, peeled and shredded)
• 1carrot(shredded)
• 2garlic cloves
• 1-2Thai chiles(to taste)
• 3 tbspfish sauce
• 3 tbspfresh lime juice
• 2 tbspsugar
• 0.25 cuproasted peanuts(crushed)
• 0.5 cupfresh mint and Thai basil(torn)
• 2 tbspdried shrimp(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Shred the papaya and carrot

   Peel and shred the green papaya and carrot into fine matchsticks, using a julienne peeler or box grater.

2. 2

   Pound the dressing base

   In a mortar and pestle, pound garlic and chiles into a coarse paste.

3. 3

   Make the dressing

   Stir fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar into the garlic-chile paste until the sugar dissolves.

   Taste and adjust — the dressing should hit sweet, sour, salty, and spicy all at once.

4. 4

   Combine the salad

   Toss the shredded papaya and carrot with the dressing in a large bowl until well coated.

5. 5

   Add herbs and finish

   Fold in torn mint, Thai basil, and dried shrimp if using. Top with crushed peanuts just before serving.

Variations

• •

  Add grilled shrimp or shredded chicken to turn it into a heartier main-dish salad.

• •

  Use green mango instead of papaya for a similar tart, crunchy texture.

• •

  Skip the dried shrimp for a fully vegetarian version, adding extra lime for brightness.

Storage

Best eaten fresh within a few hours; the papaya releases water and softens if stored too long, though the dressing keeps separately for a few days.

Frequently Asked Questions