Slicing cabbage: Slice the cabbage horizontally into 3-5mm (0.1 inch)-thick slices. Don’t slice too thin or too thick. Too thin cabbage strips make it easily to get crushed while too thick strips prevent them from absorbing the dressing sauce. Wash and soak them in salty water.

Julienning Carrots: Peel the outer skin of the carrots and use the mandoline slicer or knife to shred them into thin strips similar to the papaya. Wash and squeeze them 2-3 times with salty water to enhance the crispness.

Cutting Cucumber: Use a multifunction peeler/wave cutter to cut cucumber into pieces.

Draining out water: After cutting vegetables, mix them all in a mixing bowl and add 1 tbsp sugar + 1 tsp salt in. Let them sit for 20-30 minutes to drain out a part of water in vegetables. Finally, squeeze them one last time.

Firstly, use a small knife to scrape off the remaining hair as well as impurities from the pig's ears. Massage the ears with salt and lemon and wash them several times until they become clean and whiter.

In a pot, add pig ears, sliced ginger and shallot, then an amount of water that covers the ears fully. Turn on high heat until boiling. Once the water boils, reduce the heat to medium, skim the foam and keep boiling in 15 minutes. After that, immediately transfer the ears into an ice bath, or at least cold water, to cool them down and prevent them from blackening.

Finally, tut the pig ears into thin slices. Each slice contains the white cartilage in the middle and the ivory pig skin outside.

Starting with the Aromatics: Using the mortar and pestle, crush the garlic and chili with 1 tbsp of sugar to release their flavors. This process is crucial as it helps in extracting the essence of these ingredients. Once crushed, add them to your dressing mix.

Combining the Basics: Add warm water, then fish sauce. The ratio of fish sauce for making salad is 1 water: 2 fish sauce. Then, squeeze 1tbsp lime/lemon juice or vinegar into the sauce. Stir evenly to combine.

Adjusting to Taste: Depending on your preference, you might want it sweeter, tangier, or spicier. Adjust the quantities of sugar, lime juice, or chili accordingly. If it becomes too salty, add more lime juice or a touch of water to dilute.

Mixing the Base: In a large mixing bowl, combine cabbage, carrot, cucumber and pig ear slices. Toss them gently, ensuring they’re well-mixed.

Adding the Dressing: Pour the prepared dressing over the mix. Using your hands or salad utensils, gently mix everything, ensuring every pieces is coated with the dressing. Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes for the ingredients to absorb the dressing.

Garnishing: Finish off with a sprinkle of crushed roasted peanuts and fried/oven baked shallot for an extra crunchy. You can also add more chopped herbs on top.