Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam)

A vibrant Thai green papaya salad (Som Tam) that balances sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. Shredded unripe papaya is tossed with chili, lime, fish sauce, and peanuts in this refreshing, dairy-free salad.

Ingredients

• 1 small green papaya, peeled and shredded (about 3-4 cups)
• 1 carrot, shredded (optional)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2-3 Thai bird's eye chilies (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup green beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
• 1 tablespoon dried shrimp (optional)

Instructions

1. PREP AHEAD
2. - Peel and shred green papaya.
3. - Halve cherry tomatoes; cut long beans 2-inch.
4. - Crush garlic; trim Thai chilies.
5. - Juice one lime; measure fish sauce, palm sugar.
6. - Toast peanuts lightly and cool.
7. - Set mortar, pestle, and large spoon.
8. COOKING STEPS
9. 1. Pound garlic and chilies in mortar to coarse paste.
10. 2. Add palm sugar; pound to dissolve.
11. 3. Add shredded papaya; bruise while turning with spoon 30 sec.
12. 4. Add tomatoes and long beans; bruise lightly to release juices.
13. 5. Season with fish sauce and lime juice; taste and adjust sweet-sour-salty-spicy balance.
14. 6. Mound salad on plate; sprinkle with toasted peanuts. Serve immediately.
15. (Active time ≈ 10 min | Total ≈ 15 min)

Nutrition Facts