Som Tum (Thai Green Papaya Salad)
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Som Tum (Thai Green Papaya Salad)
Recipe By Louis Tikaram
Ingredients
1 medium size green papaya
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 handful cherry tomatoes, cut in halves
4 long beans, cut into 2 cm batons
¼ cup dried shrimp
¼ cup unsalted roasted peanuts
1 fresh chilli (add more if you like it really hot)
1 ½ tbsp fish sauce
1 ½ tbsp lime juice
1 tsp caster sugar
Method
Peel and thinly slice the green papaya using a papaya shredder (which you can find in your local Asian grocery store). If you cannot find one, slice the flesh of the papaya into long thin spaghetti like strips. Discard the seeds and set aside in a large mixing bowl.
In a large mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and chilli to a uniformed paste. Add the peanuts and shrimp and mix together. Add the long beans and tomatoes and pound lightly until bruised.
Add the pounded ingredients together with the shredded papaya and season with the fish sauce, lime juice and sugar while mixing thoroughly to slightly bruise and tenderise the papaya. You may have to add more sugar, lime or fish sauce to balance the salad. It should taste salty, sour and spicy.
