Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam)

Name: Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tam)
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 4 cups (340 g) green papaya, peeled, halved, seeds scooped out, flesh shredded into long thin strands (from about ½ medium papaya, roughly 1 lb / 450 g whole); 2 cloves (8 g) garlic, peeled and roughly chopped; 3 whole (6 g) Thai bird chilies, stemmed, left whole or sliced in half (use 1 for mild, 3 for medium-hot); 3 ounces (85 g) green beans or yardlong beans, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces; 1½ tablespoons (20 g) palm sugar, finely chopped or grated (or use light brown sugar); 1 tablespoon (6 g) dried shrimp, rinsed briefly (optional); 3 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted roasted peanuts, toasted in a dry skillet if raw (see steps), left whole; 6 whole (100 g) cherry tomatoes, halved; 2½ tablespoons (38 ml) fish sauce; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lime juice, freshly squeezed, from about 2 limes; 1 whole (60 g) lime, cut into 4 wedges, for serving (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A crunchy, bright, pounded salad of shredded green papaya, snappy green beans, tomatoes and roasted peanuts, tossed in a balanced dressing of lime, fish sauce, palm sugar and fresh chilies. Hot, sour, salty and sweet in every bite.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: —
Wait: 5 min
Total: 30 min
Makes: About 4 cups (4 side servings or 2 light main servings)

Jump to recipe ♡ Save

Ingredients

4 servings

4 cups (340 g) green papaya, peeled, halved, seeds scooped out, flesh shredded into long thin strands (from about ½ medium papaya, roughly 1 lb / 450 g whole)
2 cloves (8 g) garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
3 whole (6 g) Thai bird chilies, stemmed, left whole or sliced in half (use 1 for mild, 3 for medium-hot)
3 ounces (85 g) green beans or yardlong beans, trimmed and cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces
1½ tablespoons (20 g) palm sugar, finely chopped or grated (or use light brown sugar)
1 tablespoon (6 g) dried shrimp, rinsed briefly (optional)
3 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted roasted peanuts, toasted in a dry skillet if raw (see steps), left whole
6 whole (100 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
2½ tablespoons (38 ml) fish sauce
3 tablespoons (45 ml) fresh lime juice, freshly squeezed, from about 2 limes
1 whole (60 g) lime, cut into 4 wedges, for serving (optional)

Equipment (6)

Large mortar and pestle (about 3-quart / 3 L capacity, clay or granite) or a large sturdy bowl with a wooden pestle or masher
Julienne peeler or sharp knife
Vegetable peeler
Small dry skillet (8-inch / 20 cm)
Large spoon for tossing
Small bowl for soaking papaya

Steps

Before you start

Choose a papaya that is fully green and rock-hard inside with white flesh and tiny white seeds; any orange flesh means it is too ripe and will be soft and sweet.
Start with 1 chili if you are unsure about heat. Thai bird chilies are very hot, and you can always pound in more at the end.
Have everything prepped before you start pounding, because the salad is best eaten within minutes of mixing.
If you do not have a mortar and pestle, use a large sturdy bowl and the end of a rolling pin or a potato masher (see tips).

1
Shred the papaya
- Peel the green papaya with a vegetable peeler, halve it lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon.
- Using a julienne peeler, shred the flesh into long thin strands about 2–3 inches (5–7 cm) long, working your way down the flesh until you have 4 packed cups (340 g).
- Alternatively, use a box grater's large holes or cut very thin matchsticks with a knife.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Strands are white, thin and about the thickness of a matchstick.
Tip: Peel fairly deep so no waxy green skin remains, as it is bitter and tough.
2
Crisp the papaya
- Put the shredded papaya in a bowl, cover with ice water and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Drain very well and pat or shake dry in a clean kitchen towel.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Strands look slightly curled and feel crisp and snappy.
Tip: Wet papaya dilutes the dressing, so dry it thoroughly.
3
Toast the peanuts
- If your peanuts are raw, toast them in a dry 8-inch (20 cm) skillet for 4–5 minutes, shaking often.
- If already roasted, skip this step.
- Tip onto a plate to cool.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Peanuts are golden brown, fragrant and smell nutty.
Tip: Peanuts keep cooking in the hot pan, so move them out right away.
4
Pound the aromatics
- In the mortar, add the garlic, chilies and palm sugar.
- Pound with a firm up-and-down motion for about 1 minute until it becomes a rough, wet paste with no large lumps of sugar.
- If using dried shrimp, add them and pound for 15 seconds more, just to bruise them.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: A coarse, moist paste forms and the chilies are broken down; the kitchen smells strongly of garlic and chili.
Tip: Hold the chilies down with the spoon while pounding to avoid spatter near your eyes.
5
Bruise the beans
- Add the green bean pieces and pound gently 4–5 times so they split and crack but are not mashed.
- Add the tomato halves and press 2–3 times with the pestle to release some juice.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Beans are cracked with pale interiors showing; tomatoes are lightly crushed and juicy.
Tip: Use a light hand. Over-pounding turns the vegetables to mush and makes the salad watery.
6
Add the dressing
- Pour in the fish sauce and lime juice.
- Stir with the pestle or spoon for 10 seconds to dissolve any remaining sugar and mix it with the tomato juices.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The dressing looks cloudy and the sugar is no longer gritty.
7
Toss with papaya
- Add the drained papaya.
- Using the spoon in one hand and the pestle in the other, scoop from the bottom with the spoon and gently press and bruise with the pestle, repeating for about 30 seconds so the papaya soaks up the dressing and softens slightly while staying crunchy.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Papaya strands are evenly coated, glistening and just starting to bend, but still crisp.
Tip: If your mortar is small, toss in batches or finish tossing in a large bowl.
8
Taste and adjust
- Taste a strand of papaya along with some of the dressing.
- Add more lime juice for sourness, a splash of fish sauce for saltiness, a pinch of sugar for sweetness, or pound in another chili for heat.
- Stir to combine.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: The flavor is balanced: sharp lime and salty fish sauce up front, a rounded sweetness, and a lingering chili heat.
Tip: Taste the papaya, not just the liquid, as the dressing tastes stronger on its own.
9
Finish and serve
- Fold in the toasted peanuts.
- Transfer to a serving plate, spooning over the dressing left in the mortar.
- Serve immediately with lime wedges.
+ Show details− Hide details
Ready when: Peanuts are scattered through the salad and the plate is juicy but not swimming in liquid.
Tip: Serve right away, since the papaya releases water and loses its crunch after about 15 minutes.

Good to know

Tips

No mortar? Use a big sturdy bowl and the end of a rolling pin or potato masher to pound the garlic, chilies and sugar, then bruise the beans gently.
Pound the sugar and chilies first; the sugar acts as an abrasive that breaks up the chilies and garlic quickly.
Keep the dressing balance in mind: for authentic Thai flavor, no single note (sour, salty, sweet, hot) should overpower the others.
Serve with sticky rice and grilled chicken for a classic Thai meal.

Make ahead

"Shred the papaya and keep it in a sealed container with a damp paper towel in the fridge up to 1 day. Trim the beans and halve the tomatoes up to 1 day ahead. Toast the peanuts up to 3 days ahead. Pound and toss just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Best eaten immediately. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day, though the papaya will soften and become watery; drain off excess liquid before eating cold. Do not freeze. Not intended to be reheated."

Substitutions

green papaya → Shredded kohlrabi, firm green mango, or peeled broccoli stems and carrots. Gives a similar crunch; green mango adds extra tartness, so reduce the lime juice slightly.
fish sauce → Light soy sauce plus a squeeze of extra lime. Use 2 tablespoons (30 ml) soy sauce for a vegetarian version. The flavor will be less funky. Omit dried shrimp too.
palm sugar → Light brown sugar. Use the same amount; the flavor is slightly less caramel-like but works well.
unsalted roasted peanuts → Roasted cashews. Use the same amount for a slightly sweeter crunch.