Cool papaya chunks, tender whole shrimp, red bell pepper triangles and crisp cucumber pieces mingle with buttery pine nuts in an authentic Thai sweet and sour lime dressing.

Serves 4 as a dinner salad or 6 as part of an Asian meal. Cooked Bay Scallops or grilled thinly sliced swordfish can be substituted for the shrimp. During melon season, ripe cantaloupe can be used in place of papaya. The salad makes an even better main course when served on a bed of wild rice rather than spinach.

1 Pound medium raw shrimp
1 ½ ripe papayas
1 red bell pepper
½ hothouse cucumber
1 12 ounce bunch spinach, stemmed
¾ cup pine nuts

Dressing

3 tbs. lime juice
2 tbs. light brown sugar
2 tbs.  Thai fish sauce
1 tbs. minced fresh coriander (cilantro)
½ tsp. Chinese chili sauce
2 tsp. very finely minced fresh ginger
2 small green onions, minced

Advance Preparation

Shell and de-vein shrimp. Bring 3 quarts water to a rapid boil and add shrimp. Cook until a shrimp when cut in half is white in the center, about 2 minutes. Immediately transfer shrimp to ice water to chill. Drain and pat dry, then refrigerate.

Peel and seed papayas. Cut flesh into ½ inch cubes, then set aside. Stem and seed pepper, then cut into ½ inch cubes or triangles. Refrigerate.

Split cucumber in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds. Cut cucumber into long ¼ inch strips, then place strips together and cut into ½-inch cubes. Refrigerate.

Wash and dry spinach. Bunch spinach together and cut into shreds. Refrigerate.

Toast pine nuts in a toaster oven for about 4 minutes or in a 325 degree F oven until light golden, about 15 minutes. Reserve

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously. Reserve

Last minute Assembling