First Top Chef winner, Harold Dieterle, has many tricks up his sleeve—but we'll let you in on one of them. His light and healthy Green Papaya Salad (with Ground Peanuts, Snake Beans and Chili Lime Vinaigrette) packs a generous heap of bright, tangy, spicy-yet-sweet flavors, without that long list of calories. Harold uses this salad as a garnish upon many dishes throughout the Perilla and Kin Shop menus, but it also makes the perfect compliment to braised beef short ribs, the topping of a crisp romaine salad, or our favorite: served straight up on it's own— a sure fire win.

Not into spice? Reduce the amount of Thai chili to 1 tablespoon (or leave it out completely), and taste before adding more to the vinaigrette.

Green Papaya Salad with Ground Peanuts, Snake Beans & Chili-Lime Vinaigrette

Courtesy of Harold Dieterle Chef/Co-Owner of Kin Shop and Perilla

85 calories per serving. Serves 4.

Salad Ingredients:
1 medium-sized green papaya, peeled, seeded, and julienned

1 tablespoon fresh mint, cut into a chiffonade

2 tablespoons snake beans (aka Chinese long beans), chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon dried shrimp, ground

2 tablespoons unsalted roasted peanuts, finely chopped

Dressing Ingredients:
2 tablespoons fish sauce

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon palm sugar

1 tablespoon garlic

2 tablespoons Thai chili, ground

Procedure:
1. Place the papaya in a bowl. Add the mint and snake beans. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. Place all of the ingredients for the dressing in a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and all the ingredients are incorporated. Pour the contents of the blender through a fine strainer, reserving the liquid dressing. Pour the strained dressing over the papaya mixture in a bowl and mix with a spoon (or your hands.) Garnish with ground peanuts and dried shrimp and serve chilled.

Photo: Courtesy of Helen Hollyman