Thai Green Papay Salad- Som Tum

[Freediver81]

Green papaya salad is a very popular dish in Thailand and it is one of my favourite dishes as well.


2 Servings


1 1/2 tablespoons palm sugar

Some people use tamarind in place of lime. Regular sugar can be substituted for palm sugar.

The balance of fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar and peppers listed here are guidelines. Som tum is an individual dish that you will find you might like your with more, say, lime juice than what the recipe calls for I for example like to put more garlic and chilli peppers.

3/4 lime
2 cups green papaya, shredded (ask for a hard non ripe papaya)
6 green beans
4 cloves of garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon dried shrimp
4 chili peppers
5 cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons peanuts, toasted Optional

The papaya can be peeled with a potato peeler, after you peel it cut it into half and spoon out the seeds and shred the papaya using a regular cheese grater. The papaya should be light green.
In Thailand, green papaya salad is made using a clay mortar, wooden pestle and a spatula. Smash the garlic and chilli first. Then add green beans and dried shrimps. Pound a few times just to bruise the beans and shrimps. Add the green papaya, halved cherry tomatoes, toasted peanuts, fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar. Use the pestle to push the mixture up in the mortar and the spatula to push it down so that the mixture is mixed well.


Aroy Makma (very tasty in Thai)!

Some people would prefer to use less garlic and chilli peppers but I like to eat it the original way! If you find it too hot after you prepare it, add palm sugar, this will make it less hot!

enjoy,

Said

[Freediver81]

If you haven't tried it yet, its about time that you do! Great Salad!

Said

[atomichaggis]

Beware... this is an Isarn (North Eastern) dish and only for those with asbestos mouths and Iron stomachs.

for authenticity... drown it in fermented fish (Pla rah) and serve to people you don't like

[maytag]

Thanks for the recipe - I love green papaya salad. Question - is there any other vegetable or fruit you can use if you can't get green papaya? Cabbage?

[Freediver81]

I"ve heard of people using green mango but if you cant get that as well you I've heard of people using cucumber (hard ones- you should also take the seeds out and peel them) as well. I always have a supply of green papaya due to the large asian community in where I live and due to the popularity of Asian food here, so I never tried using the green mango or cucumber but I did try the green mago in a different dish and it was very good.

Enjoy,

Said

[podge]

Nice one Said.
Although it all sounds far too healthy for me but I’ll give it a go.

[atomichaggis]

You'll end up back in hospital Podge!

[Freediver81]

Originally Posted by atomichaggis

You'll end up back in hospital Podge!

Don't scare the guy, he isn't eating it at an authentic stall in Thailand. He will control the amount of chilli's (The more the better)!

[atomichaggis]

They sell it at Mcdonalds in Thailand too... called 'McSomtam' lol! they serve it in those big plastic cups.

[maytag]

Thanks for the substitution tips, Said. I can definitely get cucumber, though ours are kind of rubbery rather than crisp. I've never seen green mango. Maybe one of these days I will trek over to Chinatown and see if I can get green fruit

Yummm....

[Freediver81]

Originally Posted by maytag

Thanks for the substitution tips, Said. I can definitely get cucumber, though ours are kind of rubbery rather than crisp. I've never seen green mango. Maybe one of these days I will trek over to Chinatown and see if I can get green fruit

Yummm....

By green mango I mean unripe mango! Enjoy the dish!

Said