Recipes

Thai Green Papaya Salad – Som Tum

Prep

15 min

Serves

4

Heat

hot

Som Tum is the salad that defines Thai street food culture — a riotous, addictive combination of shredded green papaya, tomatoes, chilies, and peanuts, pounded together in a clay mortar until the flavors merge into something greater than their parts.

Originating from Isaan in northeastern Thailand, Som Tum is a dish of balance and contrast: the crunch of the papaya against the soft burst of tomatoes, the heat of the chilies cooled by the sweetness of palm sugar, the saltiness of fish sauce brightened by lime. Every bite is an awakening.

Ingredients

• 1 Green papaya (shredded, about 2 cups)
• 4 Green beans (cut into 1-inch pieces)
• 6 Cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 2-4 Bird's eye chilies (adjust to taste)
• 3 Garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup Roasted peanuts
• 2 tbsp Lime juice (fresh)
• 2 tbsp Fish sauce
• 1 tbsp Palm sugar (dissolved in 1 tsp water)

Directions

1. Peel the green papaya and shred it using a julienne peeler or by making shallow cuts and slicing off the shreds. Soak in ice water for 10 minutes, then drain.
2. In a clay mortar (or a sturdy bowl), pound the garlic and chilies with a pestle until roughly crushed. You want them broken down, not pureed.
3. Add the green beans and pound lightly to bruise them. Add the tomatoes and press gently to release their juice.
4. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar. Stir with a spoon to combine the dressing.
5. Add the shredded papaya and roasted peanuts. Use the pestle to lightly press the papaya into the dressing while tossing with a spoon — this helps the papaya absorb the flavors without becoming mushy.
6. Taste and adjust — it should be a bold balance of sour, salty, sweet, and spicy. Serve immediately on a plate, at room temperature.

Notes

The pounding technique is everything. You're not crushing the papaya — you're bruising it, opening its fibers so it absorbs the dressing while keeping its crunch. Use a light hand with the pestle and a spoon to toss simultaneously. This is called 'pok pok' in Thai, the sound of the method.