Green Papaya Salad

Step 1: In a large mortar bowl, pound the garlic and chili until they form a smooth paste. There can still be flecks of chili that won't pound down.

Step 2: Add the dried shrimp and pound until broken up but not pulverized. The shrimp don't need to be defrosted.

Step 3: Add the palm sugar and pound into the paste. You can add more later in the process.

Step 4: Add the crushed peanuts.

Step 5: In a separate bowl (unless you have a HUGE mortar), add the green beans and crush them until they split open. You only want to bruise them, not pound them into a paste.

Step 6: Add the papaya and halved tomatoes. Pound on them to bruise them. The tomatoes should be more crushed up. Add the garlic mixture and stir to combine.

Step 7: Add the fish sauce and the lime juice. Use the pestle to crush and mix everything. The crushing helps the papaya strands and green beans absorb the dressing. Taste and add more fish sauce, lime juice, or palm sugar as needed.

Step 8: Serve immediately. Sprinkle with more crushed peanuts over the top. And chopped cilantro if desired.