Som Tum - Papaya Salad (Thailand)
- Christian Wüst
- Nov 13, 2024
- 2 min read
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Papaya Salad, or Som Tum, is a quintessential Thai dish celebrated for its refreshing, crunchy, and vibrant flavors. Originating from Northeast Thailand (Isan region), it has become a beloved street food across Thailand and Southeast Asia, thanks to its bold combination of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy tastes.
Ingredients (Serves 4)
1 medium green papaya (about 500g), peeled and shredded
2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded (optional, for extra color and texture)
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic
2–3 Thai bird’s eye chilies (adjust to taste)
2 tablespoons dried shrimp (optional, for an authentic taste)
3 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce for a vegetarian version)
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 tablespoons palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tablespoon tamarind paste (optional, for extra tanginess)
Instructions
Prepare the Green Papaya
Peel the green papaya and cut it in half. Remove the seeds.
Shred the papaya using a julienne peeler or a large box grater into thin strips. Set aside.
Make the Dressing
In a mortar and pestle, add the garlic cloves and chilies. Pound them together until they are crushed and aromatic.
Add the palm sugar, and pound until it dissolves. Then add the dried shrimp (if using) and continue to pound lightly.
Add the fish sauce, lime juice, and tamarind paste. Mix everything well to create the dressing.
Mix the Salad
Add the green beans to the mortar and gently bruise them. This helps them absorb the dressing.
Add the shredded green papaya, carrots, and cherry tomatoes. Lightly pound and mix everything together, tossing to coat the vegetables with the dressing.
Garnish and Serve
Transfer the salad to a large bowl or serving platter.
Sprinkle with roasted peanuts on top for crunch.
Serve immediately with sticky rice or as a side dish with grilled meats.
This is so good!