Crunchy raw chayote salad, sweet papaya, and mint in a sensational citrus vinaigrette. Only 20 minutes, toasted sunflower seeds add protein. A great way to use underripe papaya!
Toast 4 TB raw sunflower seeds and hold them aside to cool while preparing the chayote salad.
Make dressing
Whisk 2 TB ripe calamansi lime juice, 4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil, ½ tsp. mild chili powder and ½ tsp. sea salt in a small bowl or shake in a jar. Place in the refrigerator while preparing the chayote salad.
Make chayote salad
Use a ¼-inch spiralizer to make 2 cups spiral cut chayote. Alternatively, use a knife to slice chayote into ¼-inch julienne slices or grate it on the largest holes of a box grater.
Peel and remove seeds from papaya and cut 1 cup underripe papaya into julienne slices.
Cut ½ cup red pepper into julienne slices.
Thinly slice ¼ cup fresh mint and ½ cup green onion. Chop ¼ cup fresh cilantro.
Serve
Plate chayote salad portions and drizzle dressing over the top just before serving. Top with toasted sunflower seeds.
Notes
Ingredients
Choose firm papaya that is mostly green with just a little yellow showing at the stem end and in patches elsewhere. You want it to hold its shape in the salad but be orange inside and lightly sweet.
Substitutions
Red peppers - any color of sweet pepper is fine.
Green onions - sweet Maui yellow onions, as well as Vidalia and Walla Walla, work well.
Cilantro - if you dislike cilantro, substitute Thai basil.
Sunflower seeds - pumpkin seeds and pinenuts make delicious variations.
Olive oil - can be substituted with mild-tasting vegetable oil.
Chili powder - for a less spicy or piquant dressing, use paprika.
Calamansi lime - mix equal parts tangerine and lime juice if you don't have calamansi.
Preparation
Slice or spiral cut chayote ¼ inch thick to prevent the dressing from making chayote soggy.
Whisk dressing separately and hold aside while tossing salad. Add dressing just before serving.
Storing
If making the salad ahead of time, store the dressing and salad separately. Store for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Serving
Drizzle dressing over individually plated salads just before serving. This keeps the salad ingredients crisp and crunchy.