Som Tum (ส้มตำ - Green Papaya Salad)

Recipe & Instructions (US Units)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups shredded green papaya (firm, unripe papaya)
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1-3 Thai bird's eye chilies (adjust to heat preference)
• 1 tbsp dried shrimp (optional, rinse briefly)
• 1 tbsp roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• Optional additions: shredded carrots, salted crab

Dressing: * 1.5 tbsp fish sauce * 1.5 tbsp lime juice (freshly squeezed) * 1 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar), dissolved in 1 tsp warm water if needed

Instructions:

1. Using a large mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and chilies together into a rough paste.
2. Add the dried shrimp (if using) and pound lightly a few times.
3. Add the palm sugar and pound gently to dissolve.
4. Add the green beans and pound lightly just to bruise them.
5. Add the shredded green papaya and roasted peanuts. Use the pestle to lightly bruise the papaya while using a large spoon in the other hand to scoop and toss the ingredients (the 'Tum' or pound-and-toss technique).
6. Add the fish sauce and lime juice. Continue to pound lightly and toss/mix well for about 30 seconds, allowing the flavors to meld and the papaya to slightly soften.
7. Add the cherry tomatoes and gently bruise them with the pestle while mixing.
8. Taste and adjust seasoning - it should be a balance of spicy, sour, salty, and sweet. Add more lime juice for sourness, fish sauce for saltiness, sugar for sweetness, or chili for heat.
9. Serve immediately, often accompanied by sticky rice, grilled chicken (Gai Yang), and fresh cabbage wedges or long beans for scooping.

What Makes It Special:

Som Tum is a quintessential Isaan (Northeastern Thai) dish known for its explosive flavor profile and refreshing crunch. It perfectly balances the core Thai tastes: spicy (chilies), sour (lime), salty (fish sauce), and sweet (palm sugar). The pounding technique in the mortar releases the flavors and slightly bruises the ingredients, creating a unique texture. It's a vibrant, healthy, and addictive salad.