Entree: Thailand – Northeastern Isan – ส้มตำ ➤ Som tam (Spicy shredded green papaya salad with lime, chilies, fish sauce, and peanuts)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 0 min

Total 15 min

Ingredients

- 1 medium green papaya, about 1.5 lb (680 g), peeled and shredded
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4–6 Thai bird’s eye chilies, or to taste
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce
- 2 tbsp (30 g) palm sugar or packed brown sugar
- 5–6 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4–6 long beans (yardlong or green beans), cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
- 2 tbsp (20 g) dried shrimp (optional)
- 1/4 cup (35 g) roasted unsalted peanuts, lightly crushed
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) light vegetable oil (optional, for plating)
- 1–2 tbsp (15–30 g) fermented fish sauce pla ra (optional, for authentic Isan flavor)
- 2 cups (400 g) glutinous (sticky) rice, cooked, for serving (optional)
- Lime wedges, extra, for serving

Instructions

1. In a mortar and pestle combine garlic and chilies and pound to a rough paste; add palm sugar and continue to crush until dissolved, then stir in fish sauce, lime juice, and optional pla ra. Add dried shrimp, tomatoes and long beans and lightly pound a few times to bruise the vegetables and release juices.
2. Add shredded papaya to the mortar (or a large bowl), toss thoroughly with the dressing until evenly coated and slightly crushed, then transfer to a platter and sprinkle with crushed roasted peanuts. Serve immediately with sticky rice and lime wedges, and adjust heat or salt with extra chilies or fish sauce at the table.