Som Tam (Spicy Green Papaya Salad)
Spice Level:
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Very Hot
Som Tam is a beloved Thai street food dish that perfectly embodies the balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors. This refreshing salad is made with shredded green papaya, tomatoes, long beans, and a fiery dressing that will wake up your taste buds!
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded green papaya
- 1 cup long beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 Thai bird's eye chilies, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons dried shrimp (optional)
- 2 tablespoons palm sugar (or brown sugar)
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
Instructions
- In a large mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and chilies into a rough paste.
- Add the long beans and lightly bruise them to release their flavor.
- Add the cherry tomatoes and gently pound to slightly crush them.
- Add the shredded green papaya and lightly pound to soften it.
- Add the palm sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and tamarind paste. Mix well using a spoon or by lightly pounding.
- Add the peanuts and dried shrimp (if using). Mix gently to combine all ingredients.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. It should be a balance of spicy, sour, salty, and sweet.
- Transfer to a serving plate and enjoy immediately!
Chef's Tips:
- For an authentic texture, use a Thai-style shredder or a sharp knife to create long, thin strips of green papaya.
- If you can't find green papaya, try using shredded carrots or cucumber as a substitute.
- Adjust the number of chilies according to your spice tolerance. Remember, Thai bird's eye chilies are very hot!
- For a vegetarian version, omit the dried shrimp and replace fish sauce with soy sauce or a vegetarian fish sauce alternative.