Updated March 3rd, 2026 Whenever I meet someone and they ask, “You know what I just love from your restaurant?”, nine times out of ten, I know they are going to say, your Thai Red Curry Beef. I’m not surprised. The combination of meat and read more
Is it just me, or does this feel like the 17th week of February? The February Doldrums are real, and if you suffer from them too you could use a vibrantly red, meaty, warming one pot dish to ward them off. This Beef Sundubu-Jjigae is read more
Green papaya slaw is one of those dishes that somehow manages to be light, creamy, crunchy, and deeply satisfying all at once. Inspired by the bright, crunchy papaya salads you’ll find across Southeast Asia, this version leans creamy thanks to a coconut milk–based dressing. If you’ve only had papaya ripe and sweet, this is a whole different experience—green papaya is crisp, refreshing, and perfect for soaking up bold flavors. Here, the shredded green papaya and carrots get tossed with dressing that’s bright with lime, gently spiced with turmeric, and just sweet enough to balance it all out. It’s the kind of salad that feels right at home alongside grilled meats, seafood, or as a standout on its own.
January always feels like the month for a reset, and if you’re doing Veganuary (or just craving something fresh), this green papaya slaw is a great place to start. It’s light, satisfying, and proof that plant-based cooking can still feel satisfying and indulgent, so let’s get into it.
Green papaya is simply papaya that’s been harvested before it ripens. At this stage, the flesh is firm and crunchy, with a clean, neutral flavor. It’s commonly shredded and used in salads, where it adds texture without overpowering other ingredients. If you enjoy the crunch of cabbage or jicama, green papaya will totally be your vibe. Look for papayas that are fully green, firm, and heavy for their size—avoid any with yellowing or soft spots.
The real magic of this slaw lies in the dressing. The coconut makes it so luscious you are going to want to drink it! Best of all it uses very common pantry ingredients you likely have on hand:
And it’s a cinch to pull together, just add all the ingredients and whisk:
Set the dressing aside and then it’s time to prep the papaya. First remove the skin using a vegetable peeler:
Then you need to shred the papaya into a large bowl. You can use a mandolin, or a julienne peeler, even a good old fashioned box grater:
Once all the green papaya is shredded then it’s on to prepping the rest of the veggies.
Thinly slice the shallot (or red onion) and soak it in ice water for 10 minutes. This will help to remove the sharp bite and give it a more mellow flavor.
Cut the carrot into matchsticks:
Scoop out the seeds from the yellow tomato and chop the fresh herbs and add it all to the bowl:
Add the dressing:
And give it a good toss:
Pile Green Papaya Slaw on a serving platter and sprinkle the cashews on top:
This is best eaten right away, but leftover are still delicious over the next couple days. You can also make this ahead of time, just keep the slaw and dressing separate and combine right before serving.
I hope this gets your year off to a fresh and satisfying start. Leave a comment down below and don’t forget to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen!
And if you’re looking for more veg-forward dishes, check out my Miso Glazed Eggplant, Green Curry Tofu, or Yakimatsu.
For the salad:
For the dressing:
Make the dressing:
Combine the lime juice, garlic, tumeric, coconut milk, salt, ground black pepper, and dark brown sugar in a cup. Use a whisk to mix well until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Prepare the papaya:
Cut the papaya if you’re not using all of it. Wrap and refrigerate extra papaya (it will stay fresh for a week). Peel the skin and then use a mandoline, shredding peeler, or a grater to shred the papaya. Set aside in a large bowl.
Prepare the other veggies:
Soak the shallots or red onion in ice water for 10 minutes and drain well. Add the shallot to the papaya. Peel and trim the carrot. Then cut into matchsticks. Add it to the salad bowl. Cut the tomato in half horizontally and scoop out the seeds. Then slice the tomato thinly. Add it to the bowl along with the cashews and the cilantro.
Dress the salad:
Toss the vegetables so they are well combined. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss again. Plate the salad on a large platter or individually and serve green papaya slaw right away.
*If you would like to make the salad ahead of time, keep the dressing and salad refrigerated separately until ready to serve. Then pour the dressing and toss the salad right before serving.
*Leftovers keep well. The salad will wilt from the dressing but it will still taste great. Finish any leftovers within a couple of days.
Keywords: slaw, green papaya, vegan, plant based, veganuary, coconut, chilled, gluten free
When summer corn is at its peak, you really don’t have to do much. But if you want to take it just one step further—without masking its natural sweetness—this quick stovetop Korean Honey Butter Corn is the move. It’s buttery, slightly sticky from the honey, read more
If the only tapioca pudding you’ve had is from a plastic cup, my version is about to blow your mind. Creamy, lightly sweet, and made with coconut milk, this Coconut Tapioca is a simple, chilled dessert that feels both comforting and tropical—especially when you top read more
I used to think my mom made this up. When I was little, she’d serve us bowls of strawberries and let us mash them up, drizzle in a little honey or a sprinkling of sugar, and pour cold milk over the whole thing. The strawberries would tint the milk this delicate, dreamy pink, and my sisters and I would eat it with a spoon straight from the bowl. For the longest time, I assumed it was just one of those quirky “Mom things”, probably a way to make sure we ate more fruit while getting some calcium.
But it turns out strawberries and milk—ichigo to miruku—is actually a classic snack in Japan. You’ll find more stylized versions of it in cafés and cookbooks and all over Japanese social media during strawberry season. Strawberries and milk is a popular flavor combination that shows up in candies, cakes, even sandwiches. But even though there are store-bought options and recipes that involve cooking the strawberries into a syrup, I still love my mom’s version best: just fresh berries, sweetened a bit, and mixed with milk.
It’s incredibly simple, endlessly customizable, and honestly the most perfect thing to make when it’s way too hot to cook. I use maple syrup now instead of sugar (my grown-up twist), and pour it over whatever milk I have in the fridge—dairy, oat, soy, you name it. To vegan or not vegan, it’s a choose your own adventure kind of thing. Strawberries and Milk is refreshing, nostalgic, and summer ready, so let’s get into it.
It makes sense that this little snack has such popularity in Japan, where strawberries are practically a cultural treasure. Some varieties are so valued they’re sold in gift boxes, each one carefully packed and nestled like a jewel.
They’re sweet, delicate, and celebrated during peak season—especially around early spring, when the most famous varieties are at their best. And so a recipe like this, which so few ingredients, really lets this prized fruit shine. I look for the best strawberries the season has to offer; this is the time to go to your favorite farmer’s market and pick out the most fragrant and ripe berries you can get your hands on.
The process is so embarrassingly easy, but sharing is caring, so here we go: I start by hulling my strawberries. You can use a little gadget like this huller to remove the stem and the white core underneath, leaving just the juicy and sweet berry. To be frank, I’m not a gadget girl but remembered seeing this tool in a drawer. I implore you not to buy this single purpose, not even very sharp or helpful tool. Instead, use a pairing knife and you’ll thank me.
Old school is definitely the best choice…
Then I put the strawberries into serving bowls.
Truly, this is the greatest snack or quick breakfast for parents. Kids have a great deal of energy in the morning, particularly boys like my nephews. They want to do something immediately. If you’re not a morning person like me, you’ll love the fact that mashing strawberries takes some work and gives kids an easy task. Mash it with big chunks left or let them spend some time, work off some energy, and go to town on those berries yielding a smoother paste. Make sure you use a large enough bowl if you have younger kids to contain any potential mess.
I like mine with big chunks ;)
Then it’s time to pick your sweetener. Growing up, my mom always used plain white sugar. As kids, we loved the sugary gritty milk at the bottom of the bowl that waited for us at the end- like an extra little treat. But these days I usually reach for maple syrup—it blends easily and adds a little extra depth. Honey is nice too. Really any sweetener that you have on hand is fine. Start by tasting your strawberries—if they’re super ripe and sweet, you might not need much at all. If they’re a little tart, a bit more sweetener will help coax out their flavor.
And just like with the sweetener, you can choose your own milk. Plant-based options like oat, almond, soy, even coconut all work beautifully here. Whether you use dairy or nondairy, you’ll end up with a Strawberry and Milk that’s berry delicious. Come on, I’m Gen X—of course I had to sneak in a Strawberry Shortcake reference somewhere!
And with that, your summery treat is ready to be enjoyed!
I hope this nostalgic snack brings you the same simple joy it has always brought me. Savoring seasonal treats is one way to bring a little dose of childlike happiness even in our adult doom-scrolling world… Take a few minutes to make this sweet treat and let me know what you think. And remember to tag us in your pics @funkyasiankitchen, we love hearing from you!
And if you’re looking for more simple summer treats, check out my Strawberry Lychee Lemonade, Tropical Fruit Salad, or Avocado Smoothie.
Prepare the strawberries: Cut the stems off of the strawberries and place them into 2 bowls.
Serve the strawberries with the milk and sweetener on the side. Mash the strawberries with the back of a fork, pour milk over the strawberries, and season with sweetener to taste. Eat immediately with a spoon or fork.
*Strawberries are acidic so the milk will start to curdle slightly as it sits. This does not affect the taste and shouldn’t keep you from enjoying your berries.
Keywords: chilled, no cook, summer, strawberries, fruit, easy, comfort food, quick, snacks
Hi there!
I’m Kazu, a restaurateur in Miami who wants to show you all of the best tricks for creating restaurant quality Asian meals at home.
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