Som Tam (Thai Green Papaya Salad)
Thailand's iconic salad made by pounding julienned green papaya with dried shrimp and cherry tomatoes in a mortar, then tossing everything with a sauce of chili, garlic, lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar. It's tangy, sweet, salty, and mildly spicy — delicious on its own or alongside rice noodles or rice.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Green papaya1
- Dried shrimp1 handful
- Chili pepper3
- Garlic cloves2
- Lime1
- Cherry tomatoesAs needed
- Fish sauce2 tbsp
- Palm sugar (or sugar)2 tbsp
- PeanutsA little
Directions
- 1
Prepare green papaya, dried shrimp, chilies, garlic, lime, cherry tomatoes, fish sauce, and palm sugar.
- 2
Peel the green papaya, halve it, and shred it into thin strips.
- 3
Pound 3 chilies and 2 cloves of garlic together in a mortar.
- 4
Squeeze in the juice of 1 lime.
- 5
Add 2 tablespoons of fish sauce.
- 6
Add 2 tablespoons of palm sugar (or sugar) and mix well. If using sugar, use a little less since it's sweeter.
- 7
Add the dried shrimp and cherry tomatoes and pound lightly to blend the flavors.
- 8
Add the shredded green papaya and toss gently, lightly pounding so the dressing coats it evenly.
- 9
Sprinkle crushed peanuts over the finished som tam.
- 10
The mild heat and the tangy-sweet-salty dressing soaked into the green papaya and dried shrimp are what make this dish so appealing.
- 11
Enjoy it on its own as a salad, or pair it with rice noodles or rice for an even tastier meal.