Green Papaya Salad Recipe

Green Papaya Salad (Som-Tum) by Instructor, Ang Robinson

Som Tum or green papaya salad is a quintessential Northeastern snack, widely popular throughout Thailand. Considered a street food, it’s typically made fresh to order and served with a variety of fresh vegetables, grilled chicken, and sticky rice. Look for a perfect combination of spicy, sweet, salty, and tangy taste! Sometime fresh green papaya is hard to find, you can substitute it with grated carrot or grated seeded English cucumber. The outcome should be as delicious.

Ingredients needed (serve 4)

2 cups, firm green papaya, grated

4-6 cherry tomatoes cut length-wise in halves

1 tbs. dried shrimp, rinsed (optional)

1-2 garlic cloves, peeled

1-2 Thai fresh chili peppers (more or less to taste)

2 tbs. roasted peanuts

1 tbs. palm sugar (or brown sugar)

1 tbs. fish sauce

Juice from ½ a lime (more or less to taste)

Garnishes: Sliced cucumber, wedges of cabbage, and carrot sticks

Preparations:

In a mortar (or large metal mixing bowl) and pestle, pound chili peppers and garlic until a paste is formed. Add shrimp and peanuts to the mixture and grind until they mix well and the peanuts are nicely broken but not too fine like peanut butter.

Stir in palm sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and mix the dressing well. Taste and adjust aiming for the well balanced of spicy, sweet, salty, and sour combination.

Add grated papaya and sliced tomatoes and use the pestle and a long spoon to mash all ingredients while gently stir to make sure the papaya absorbs the dressing.