Thai cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Tam Sua

Isaan-style papaya salad in which soft rice noodles soak up the bold broth of fermented fish seasoning.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 400 g green papaya (or kohlrabi)
• 200 g thin rice noodles
• 3 tbsp fermented fish sauce (pla ra, or fish sauce)
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 2 tbsp palm sugar
• 4 garlic cloves
• 4 Thai chilies
• 150 g cherry tomatoes
• 100 g green beans
• 2 tbsp dried shrimp
• 1/4 white cabbage

Instructions

1. Soak the rice noodles in hot water for 4–5 min. per the package instructions until soft but still elastic, rinse under cold water and drain well.
2. Peel and seed the papaya and shred it into long thin strips, cut the green beans into 4 cm lengths and tear the white cabbage into rough pieces.
3. Boil the fermented fish sauce with 100 ml water for 3 min., pour through a fine sieve and let the dark broth cool.
4. Pound the garlic, chilies and palm sugar in a large mortar into a paste, then stir in the dried shrimp, lime juice, fish sauce and the cooled broth.
5. Lightly bruise the beans and halved cherry tomatoes, then add the papaya and rice noodles and pound-toss for 1 min. until the noodles have soaked up the dark sauce.
6. Arrange the salad on a platter and serve with the raw white cabbage pieces, which are eaten as a cooling scoop alongside the salad.