Papaya Flower Stir-Fry with Dried Shrimp
Ingredients
- 250g papaya flowers
- 10 red bird's eye chilies, whole or sliced optional
- 6 shallots
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- 2 tbsp dried shrimp or anchovies
- A handful of guava leaves
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
Preparation
Clean the papaya flowers and remove any hard stems.
Boil water in a pot, add 1/2 tablespoon salt, then add papaya flowers and guava leaves, and boil until the flowers wilt.
Rinse the papaya flowers while gently squeezing or massaging them without crushing, and discard the guava leaves.
Stir-fry the shallots and garlic until fragrant, add dried shrimp and bird's eye chilies, stir until the chilies wilt, then add the papaya flowers, season with oyster sauce, salt, and a little sugar, and cook briefly until the seasonings are well distributed without adding water.
Tips
Boiling and squeezing the papaya flowers removes bitterness, but may eliminate it completely. For a slightly bitter taste, after boiling, simply rinse and drain without squeezing.
