Som Tam Thai
Recipe GLPR1c6732496da09d
A vibrant, traditional Central Thai green papaya salad featuring crisp shredded papaya tossed with fresh lime juice, fish sauce, and toasted peanuts. Aromatic Thai chiles and garlic are pounded together to build a flavorful base, then combined with chewy long beans, cherry tomatoes, and rehydrated dried shrimp. This bright, tangy, and slightly spicy salad is traditionally served alongside sticky rice for a balanced meal.
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Ingredients
2 small garlic cloves
2 to 3 fresh Thai chiles, stemmed
1 tablespoon dried shrimp
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons palm sugar, softened
2 tablespoons roasted unsalted peanuts, divided
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 long beans, ends trimmed, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 cups shredded green papaya
Cooked sticky rice, for serving
Directions
Place the garlic cloves and Thai chiles into a large mortar. Pound them together with the pestle until they form a fragrant, coarse paste, releasing the oils and aromatics.
Add the dried shrimp to the mortar and continue pounding gently to break them into small pieces and incorporate them into the garlic-chile mixture.
Add the softened palm sugar to the mortar and pound until it dissolves slightly and combines with the garlic, chile, and shrimp base, creating a flavorful paste.
Add the long bean pieces to the mortar and gently pound them a few times to lightly bruise and flavor them without breaking them apart completely.
Add the halved cherry tomatoes and pound very gently just a few times to release their juices slightly while maintaining their shape.
Pour in the fresh lime juice and fish sauce, then stir everything together in the mortar until well combined and the dressing coats all the vegetables.
Add the shredded green papaya to the mortar and toss everything together gently but thoroughly, being careful not to break down the papaya too much. The salad should remain light and crisp.
Divide the salad among serving bowls and top each portion with a portion of the reserved roasted peanuts. Serve immediately alongside cooked sticky rice.
