Called du du dam in Vietnamese and bok lahong in Khmer, the dish originated in Cambodia, but its intriguing flavours meant it quickly became popular.
It is easy to find an eatery selling this dish near Bay Nui area in Tri Ton District.
Thinly sliced papaya is the star of this dish. The papaya is carefully selected since it needs the right amount of ripeness to give the dish the correct texture and sweetness.
A food vendor, who has been selling this salad for over 10 years in Tri Ton District, said the sliced papaya needs to be soaked in saltwater and kept next to ice to retain its crispness.
Other vegetables like spinach, cowpeas and carrots are then placed in a large mortar and pestle along with mam ruoc or mam ba khia (special fermented sauce), sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate, red onion, garlic, chili, and lime.
You can order a duck egg to eat with it as locals do.
