In Thai, Green Papaya Salad is called Som Tam, which translates to “pound the sour.” This vibrant dish is crispy, fresh, sweet, spicy, sour, and naturally umami. Check out the recipe to experience this flavorful Thai classic!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup green papaya, shredded
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tomato, quartered
- 1 long bean or 3 regular green beans
- 1 tbsp dried shrimp
- 1 tbsp roasted peanuts
- 1-3 fresh red chilies or green chilies (small, adjust to taste)
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp palm sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
- Prepare the beans: Cut the long bean into 2 cm pieces and place them in a mortar with garlic and chilies.
- Pound lightly: Gently pound the ingredients to release their flavors.
- Add seasonings: Mix in the palm sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice.
- Add tomato: Cut the tomato into quarters and add it to the mortar.
- Combine papaya: Add the shredded green papaya to the mixture. Using one hand, gently pound while mixing with a spoon in the other hand, turning the ingredients from bottom to top until well combined.
- Taste and adjust: Adjust the flavors as needed to achieve a perfect balance.
- Final touches: Add the dried shrimp and roasted peanuts, then mix everything together.
- Serve: Your green papaya salad is ready to enjoy!
NOTES
- A large, deep mortar works best for this salad. If unavailable, you can use a big bowl with a pestle for similar results.
- Adjust the chili quantity to your spice tolerance, prioritizing fresh red or green chilies for authentic flavor.
- Substitute green papaya with cucumber, zucchini, green mango, or green apple for variations.
- In Laos and some Thai regions, fermented fish sauce (Padaek) is traditionally used instead of Thai fish sauce (Nam Pla).
- If Nam Pla is unavailable, soy sauce can be a substitute, though the taste will differ.
- Replace palm sugar with brown sugar or raw cane sugar for a rich, unrefined sweetness.
- For an extra twist, you can pound a small crab with the other ingredients for added flavor.
