Som tam is my all-time favourite salad, whether it's for lunch or dinner or even a snack! I will have a Thai green papaya salad every week, without fail! And even if you’ve never visited Thailand before, I’m sure you have heard of som tam – it’s one of the most famous Thai salads. I remember growing up eating som tam every day when I was a child, I used to sit in the kitchen next to my mother and learn how to hold the papaya in one hand while vigorously cutting and shredding it with a large sharp knife held in the other hand. Somewhat dangerous doing that as a child but now there’s other safer methods...a grater!
Som tam (ส้มตำ) is one of the most commonly available and most popular dishes in all of Thailand. Originating in the northeastern region of Thailand (Isaan), bordering the country of Laos, this dish is a staple for the entire area. Nowadays, you’ll now find green papaya salad everywhere throughout Thailand, as well as on just about every street corner in the cities. This Thai salad features young green papaya in a spicy dressing. The multiple layers of flavours of sweet, sour and spiciness from this salad will explode in your mouth. It really does deliver on everything!
Before we jump into the cooking method for this Thai green papaya salad, I just want to talk about the key ingredients. First of all, you’ll need green papaya. When you think of papaya, you may be thinking of the juicy orange coloured fruit with black seeds in the centre that is extremely sweet. Well, green papayas are picked at their unripe stage before turning into that delicious fruit, so they are hard and green with a completely different taste, one that is quite neutral in flavour. If you're interested in reading more about green papaya, take a look at our blog 'Get to Know: Green Papaya'!
Som Tam - Thai Green Papaya Salad
A classic Thai dish! Green papaya salad with a perfect balance of flavours!
- Pestle and Mortar
- 300 g Green Papaya (you could use raw swede)
- 75 g Green Beans
- 1 Carrots
- 160 g Cherry Tomatoes
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves
- 8-12 Bird Eye Chillies
- 80 g Roasted Peanuts
- 1 Lime
- 3 tbsp Fish Sauce (light soya sauce for vegan dish)
- 1 - 2 tbsp Palm Sugar
- 1 tbsp Shrimp Paste (Optional or remove for vegan dish)
Preparation
Coarsely grate the green papaya and carrots into long stripes
Cut the green beans 2-3 inches long
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half
Cooking Method
Add the chilli and garlic cloves into a large mortar and start to crush them with the pestle for 30 seconds
Add palm sugar, fish sauce and shrimp paste (optional). Using the pestle and a spoon, mix and pound together until the sugar has dissolved. Then add 4 tbsp of fresh lime juice and mix together. Taste the sauce and add more seasoning to taste, you want a spicy, sweet, salty with a slightly sour taste
Add cherry tomatoes and green beans, and lightly pound with the pestle and spoon
Add green papaya and carrots, and lightly pound with the pestle and spoon before adding in roasted peanuts. Mix together well and serve with freshly steamed sticky rice. Enjoy!
