Not surprisingly—Vietnamese food is only occasionally hot—this isn’t as blistering as the vegetarian Thai version on page 174. You can buy Vietnamese chili garlic paste at any store selling Asian ingredients; it keeps nearly forever in the refrigerator. Fish sauces like nam pla and nuoc mam are discussed on page 500. Palm sugar is available at many Asian markets, but brown sugar is indistinguishable in flavor.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　Salt and black pepper

　　12 large shrimp, peeled

　　4 cups peeled, seeded, and shredded green papaya, Granny Smith apple, jicama, or a combination

　　2 cups mung bean sprouts

　　1 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves

　　1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves

　　1/2 cup chopped scallion

　　1 teaspoon Vietnamese chili-garlic paste, or to taste

　　Juice of 2 limes

　　1/4 cup nam pla or nuoc mam

　　1 tablespoon brown or palm sugar

　　1/2 cup finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts

　　

Step 1

Salt the shrimp, then grill or broil it until just cooked, or put it in a saucepan with salted water to cover, bring the water to a boil, then turn off the heat and let the shrimp sit in the water until cool. When cool, slice the shrimp in half lengthwise, as if you were butterflying it.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, toss the papaya, sprouts, herbs, and scallion together in a large bowl. Whisk together the chili-garlic paste, lime juice, nam pla, and sugar, along with a little salt and a lot of pepper; taste and adjust the seasoning. Toss the dressing with the papaya-herb mixture, then top with the shrimp and peanuts. Toss again at the table and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.