Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad)

Method

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1. Soak the shredded papaya in iced water for 15 minutes, then drain and dry thoroughly. This makes it noticeably crunchier.

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2. Pound the garlic and chillies in a large clay or wooden mortar into a coarse paste.

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3. Add the palm sugar and dried shrimp and pound until the sugar dissolves into the paste.

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4. Add the long beans and bruise them lightly with a few strikes, then the tomatoes, pressing just enough to release their juices.

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5. Add the fish sauce, lime juice and tamarind and stir with the pestle to combine.

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6. Add the papaya in two batches. Pound gently while turning the mixture with a spoon — about 20 light strikes per batch. You are bruising, not crushing.

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7. Taste and adjust: it should hit sour, salty, sweet and hot in that order.

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8. Fold in most of the peanuts and serve immediately, scattered with the rest and the basil if using.

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Chef’s Tips

• A deep clay mortar is traditional and does the job far better than a heavy stone one, which crushes.
• No green papaya? Shredded carrot, kohlrabi or unripe mango all work on the same principle.
• Make it to order. Som tam loses its crunch within 30 minutes of dressing.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• A cold lager, or sticky rice to cool the heat
• Serve with grilled chicken and sticky rice
• Finish with fresh fruit

Storage & Reheating

Eat immediately. Shredded papaya keeps 2 days in water in the fridge; the dressing keeps 1 week.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.