Thai Green Papaya Salad - Som Tum

- Serves 4
​Thai Som Tam - the ever popular green papaya salad is the star of Thai street food and available practically in every single street corner in Bangkok. You have probably already seen many a chefs whacking away on raw papaya with their sharp knives to make slivers, followed by pounding fresh herbs and spices in a large wooden mortar to make the perfectly sweet, sour and spicy lime dressing. The everyday home cook may not have the same skill to make slivers with a large knife, but can achieve the same result using a zigzag or julienne peeler. Although traditionally a large wooden mortar and pestle is used to make the entire salad, one can just as easily make the dressing using a smaller stone mortar and pestle, and simply pour it over the salad before serving.

Ingredients for Thai Green Papaya Salad - Som Tum

1 small raw green papaya (you will need about 320g flesh)
1/2 carrot, peeled
2-3 green beans, cut in to match sticks 
10 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, for garnish
Dressing: 
2 tablespoons Thai dried shrimp 
1 garlic clove
1 fresh red bird’s eye chili, chopped
2 heaped tablespoons palm sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander, leaves and stems 
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice or lemon juice
Special equipment required:
julienne peeler
mortar and pestle

Recipe
  1. Peel raw papaya and carrot, then using a zig-zag (julienne) peeler, peel into thin long strips. Use about 320g papaya flesh with 1/2 carrot.
  2. Place dried shrimp, garlic, red chili, sugar, and coriander in a large mortar, and bash using a pestle to make a coarse paste. 
  3. Next, add beans and cherry tomatoes - gently bash it a few more times. Add fish sauce, and lime juice - stir well.
  4. Pour dressing over shredded papaya and carrots - stir well to combine. Serve chilled garnished with roasted peanuts.
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