Thai · Free
Som Tum Green Papaya Salad
A crisp, refreshing pounded salad of shredded green papaya in a punchy lime, chili, and fish sauce dressing with tomatoes and peanuts. It delivers the full Thai flavor spectrum in every bright, crunchy bite.
****+
Prep 25 min · Cook 0 min
Method
Peel the green papaya, then shred it into long thin strands using a julienne peeler or the large holes of a box grater; soak the shreds in cold water for 10 minutes to keep them extra crisp, then drain well.
In a large mortar (or a sturdy bowl if pounding lightly), pound the garlic and chilies into a rough paste, using fewer chilies if you are sensitive to heat.
Add the palm sugar and pound until it dissolves into the paste.
Add the green beans and dried shrimp and pound gently just to bruise them and release their flavor, not to crush them into mush.
Pour in the lime juice and fish sauce, then stir the dressing and taste it; you want a strong balance of sour, salty, sweet, and spicy all at once.
Add the tomato halves and press them lightly with the pestle so their juices join the dressing.
Add the shredded papaya and use the pestle in one hand and a spoon in the other to gently pound and toss, bruising the papaya so it soaks up the dressing while staying crunchy.
Taste and adjust the four flavors: more lime for sour, fish sauce for salt, sugar for sweet, or chili for heat until it is vivid and balanced.
Fold in most of the peanuts, saving a few for the top.
Transfer to a plate, scatter the remaining peanuts over, and serve immediately with a lime wedge while the papaya is at its crispest.
Chef's tips
- Green papaya is the unripe fruit and should be hard and pale inside; if you cannot find it, shredded carrot and cucumber make a fine substitute.
- Wear gloves or wash your hands well after handling bird chilies, and taste your dressing before adding all the chili.
- Eat som tum right after making it, since the papaya softens and loses its signature crunch as it sits.
Cooking times vary by equipment -- cook to temperature and to taste.
