Thai cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Som Tam Thai

Green papaya pounded in a mortar with lime, palm sugar, peanuts and dried shrimp – the milder version from central Thailand.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 600 g green papaya (or kohlrabi)
• 100 g cherry tomatoes
• 100 g green beans
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 Thai chilies
• 3 tbsp palm sugar
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp dried shrimp
• 60 g peanuts
• 1 lime

Instructions

1. Peel the papaya, halve it, remove the seeds and shred the flesh into long, thin strips with a julienne peeler; soak in ice water for 10 min. so it turns crisp.
2. Toast the peanuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 3–4 min. until fragrant, let cool and chop coarsely.
3. Pound the garlic and chilies coarsely in a large mortar for 1 min., then add the palm sugar and dried shrimp and keep pounding until the sugar dissolves.
4. Stir in the lime juice and fish sauce, and lightly bruise the green beans (cut into 4 cm pieces) and the halved cherry tomatoes just until they release their juice.
5. Add the well-drained papaya strips and work them with the pestle while turning from below with a spoon – about 1 min., until everything is coated in dressing but still crunchy.
6. Transfer the salad with its juices to a platter, sprinkle with the toasted peanuts and serve immediately with lime wedges.