Som Tum Thai is a classic Thai dish known for its unique blend of flavors. It typically involves pounding garlic and fresh chilies together, followed by green papaya, tomatoes, long beans, and sometimes carrots. Key ingredients include peanuts and dried shrimp, all pounded to combine. The salad is seasoned with a balance of sweet, sour, salty, and slightly spicy flavors. It’s often enjoyed with fresh vegetables like cabbage, long beans, and water spinach, and sometimes served with sticky rice or grilled meats.
Ingredients for Thai Papaya Salad
Key ingredients include palm sugar, fresh chilies, fish sauce, and lime juice. These are pounded together with green papaya, creating a mix of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors. Roasted peanuts and dried shrimp are the signature elements that elevate the taste.
Classic Som Tum Thai Recipe
Ingredients:
- Shredded green papaya (chilled)
- Carrots (optional)
- 2-5 bird’s eye chilies (adjust to taste)
- 5 cloves of Thai garlic
- 1-2 cherry tomatoes
- 1 long bean
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp palm sugar
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp MSG (optional)
- Dried shrimp
- Roasted peanuts
Instructions:
- Pound the garlic and chilies together in a mortar until roughly crushed.
- Add the long bean and roasted peanuts, and lightly pound until slightly broken. Then, add the dried shrimp.
- Season with palm sugar and fish sauce. Add the tomatoes and gently pound until they release some juice.
- Add lime juice and mix everything together, adjusting the balance of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy to your liking.
- Add the shredded papaya and carrots, tossing everything together until well mixed. Serve and enjoy!
