Som Tam (Thai Green Papaya Salad) 🇹🇭

Som Tam, also known as Thai Green Papaya Salad, is a vibrant and zesty dish that bursts with flavors. This iconic Thai salad combines crisp, shredded green papaya with a tantalizing mix of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors, creating a harmonious balance that delights the palate. With its refreshing crunch and lively dressing, Som Tam is a perfect introduction to the vibrant and diverse world of Thai cuisine.

To make this you will need to following ingredients

• 1/2 Medium sized Papaya Soaked in ice water for 20 minutes – this will make the Papaya more Tender
• 2 cloves of Garlic
• 2 Thai Chillies – Adjust if you can handle more or less spice
• 50g of Palm sugar
• 4 Long beans cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/4 cup of Roasted Peanuts
• 2 tbsp of dried Shrimp
• 1-2 Limes – adjust for taste
• 2-3 tbsp of fish sauce – Adjust for taste
• 30g of Tamarind
• 5 cherry tomatoes halved

First, ensure the shredded papaya is thoroughly drained and place it in a bowl lined with two layers of paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. This step prevents diluting the dressing with water.

Next, in a large mortar and pestle, begin by pounding garlic and chilies until they are finely minced, ensuring there are no large chunks left. It’s okay if there are pieces of chilli skin remaining.

Then, add palm sugar to the mortar and mash it with the pestle until it forms a wet paste, ensuring all chunks are dissolved.

Add long beans to the mixture and lightly pound them until they are slightly broken.

Incorporate dried shrimp and peanuts into the mixture and pound them gently to break the peanuts slightly.

Now, add fish sauce, tamarind paste, and lime juice to the mortar. Squeeze the lime skin and add lime skin into the mixture as well to enhance the lime fragrance. Stir everything together with a large spoon until the sugar is fully dissolved.

Add the shredded papaya and tomatoes to the mixture. Mix everything using the pound-and-flip method, ensuring all ingredients are well combined and the tomatoes are gently crushed.

Once everything is thoroughly mixed and the tomatoes are slightly crushed, remove the Lime skins, the Som Tam is ready!

Plate the dish and sprinkle the remaining peanuts on top for added crunch and flavour

Som Tam (Thai Green Papaya Salad) 🇹🇭

Recipe by Phong Bui

0.0 from 0 votes

Cuisine: ThaiDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

0

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Ingredients

• 1/2 1/2 Medium sized Papaya Soaked in ice water for 20 minutes – this will make the Papaya more Tender

• 2 Cloves 2 Garlic

• 2 2 Thai Chillies – Adjust if you can handle more or less spice

• 50 g 50 Palm Sugar

• 4 4 Long beans cut into 2 inch pieces

• 1/4 C 1/4 Roasted Peanuts

• 2 tbsp 2 Dried Shrimp

• 2 whole 2 Limes – with skin – Adjust for taste

• 2-3 tbsp 2-3 Fish Sauce – Adjust for taste

• 30 g 30 Tamarind pulp

Directions

• Drain the soaked papaya well and place in a bowl lined with 2 layers of paper towel to absorb excess water. You want to have as little water on the papaya as possible so as to not dilute the dressing.
• In a large mortar and pestle, pound garlic and chilies until there are no more big chunks (pieces of chili skin are fine).
• Add palm sugar and mash with the pestle until it turns into a wet paste and all the chunks are dissolved.
• Add long beans and pound just until they’re broken.
• Add dried shrimp and peanuts and pound to break the peanuts up slightly.
• Add fish sauce, tamarind paste, and lime juice, adding the squeezed lime skin into the mortar as well for extra lime fragrance. Stir with a large spoon to mix and dissolve the sugar.
• Once everything is thoroughly mixed and the tomatoes are slightly crushed, remove the Lime skins, the Som Tam is ready!
• Plate the dish and sprinkle the remaining peanuts on top for added crunch and flavour.