Som tam is Thailand’s lively green papaya salad, balancing crisp vegetables with lime, chilli, fish sauce, and a little sweetness.
Keep the vegetables cold and crunchy, then pound the dressing ingredients just enough to release their aroma before tossing.
Taste the dressing before adding all of it; the balance should be bright, salty, sweet, and hot without drowning the papaya.
Serving Suggestions
Serve immediately with sticky rice, grilled chicken, or other Thai dishes.
Recipe Notes
For the best texture, shred the papaya shortly before serving and refrigerate leftovers for no more than one day.
Thai Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad)
Crisp green papaya, tomatoes, long beans, lime, chilli, and peanuts tossed in a sharp Thai dressing.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Make the dressing:
- Pound the garlic and chillies in a mortar until roughly broken down.
- Add the lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Toss and serve:
- Add the beans and tomatoes and pound lightly a few times to bruise them without turning them mushy.
- Transfer the dressing mixture to a large bowl, add the papaya, and toss until evenly coated.
- Fold in most of the peanuts and serve immediately with the remaining peanuts scattered over the top.
Nutrition
Notes
- Use firm, pale green papaya for the characteristic crisp texture.
- Adjust chilli, lime, fish sauce, and sugar to taste.
