Entree: Laos – Vientiane & Central Laos – ຕຳມັກຫຸ່ງ ➤ Tam Mak Hoong (Spicy shredded green papaya salad dressed with lime, fish sauce, chilies, and toasted rice)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 15 min

Cook 0 min

Total 15 min

Ingredients

- 1 medium green papaya, peeled and shredded, approx. 1 lb (450 g)
- 3–5 Thai bird chiles (to taste), thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) palm sugar or brown sugar
- 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
- 4 long beans, trimmed and cut into 1 in (2.5 cm) pieces, approx. 4 oz (115 g)
- 2 tbsp (15 g) dried shrimp, toasted (optional)
- 2 tbsp (25 g) roasted unsalted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp (10 g) toasted sticky rice, pounded (khao kua) or substitute toasted jasmine rice, crushed
- 1 small shallot, thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil (optional, to roast/pound ingredients)
- Lime wedges to serve

Instructions

1. In a mortar and pestle (or a bowl with a sturdy muddler), lightly pound the garlic and chiles with the palm sugar until fragrant and the sugar begins to dissolve.
2. Add the fish sauce and lime juice to the mortar and mix to combine; taste and adjust balance of sour/salty/sweet.
3. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and gently bruise them a couple times in the mortar to release juices, then add the dried shrimp and pounded roasted rice and give a few light pulses to incorporate.
4. Place the shredded green papaya and long beans into a large bowl. Pour the dressing from the mortar over the papaya mixture and toss vigorously so the papaya bruises slightly and absorbs the flavors.
5. Fold in the chopped peanuts and thinly sliced shallot. Adjust seasoning with additional fish sauce, lime, or sugar as needed.
6. Transfer to a serving plate, garnish with extra roasted rice and peanuts, and serve immediately with lime wedges.