Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum)
A proper Som Tum is all about the balance of heat, acid, salt, and crunch. It relies on the raw texture of unripe papaya, which is firm enough to hold its own against a vigorous pounding.
Texture is everything.
Green papaya must be firm and unripened; if it feels soft or looks orange inside, the texture will be mushy rather than crisp. Keep your mortar steady with a damp towel underneath.
- large granite mortar and pestle
- vegetable julienne peeler
- chef's knife
What goes in.
- 2 cupsshredded green papaya
- 2bird's eye chilies
- 2 clovesgarlic, peeled
- 1 tbsptoasted peanuts
- 1 tbsppalm sugar
- 1 tbspfish sauce
- 1.5 tbspfresh lime juice
- 5cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1long bean, cut into 1-inch lengths
The Mortar Rhythm
Use the pestle to gently bruise the beans and chilies before adding the papaya. You want to extract their oils without turning the vegetables into a paste.
The method.
Prep the papaya
Peel the green papaya and julienne it into long, thin strips using a peeler or sharp knife. Keep the strips chilled in ice water until the last second for maximum crunch.
Build the base
Drop the garlic and bird's eye chilies into the mortar. Pound them briefly until they break down into a rough paste.
Incorporate aromatics
Add the long beans and peanuts. Pound lightly once or twice to bruise the beans. Stir in the palm sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce until the sugar dissolves.
Combine
Add the tomatoes and the shredded papaya. Using the pestle in one hand and a spoon in the other, gently fold and toss the salad, pressing down occasionally to marry the dressing to the papaya.
Serve
Transfer to a plate immediately. The salad should be eaten while the papaya is still cold and crisp.
Other turns to take.
Som Tum Pu
Add salted black crab for a deeper, briny flavor profile.
Som Tum Thai
This is the version listed, focusing on the sweetness of palm sugar and the crunch of peanuts.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If you cannot find palm sugar, brown sugar is a functional substitute, though it lacks the depth of the former.
Adjust the chili count based on your tolerance; bird's eye chilies vary significantly in heat.
Discard any green papaya seeds; only the firm white flesh is used.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use a food processor to shred the papaya?
You can, but it often makes the strips too thin or uneven. Hand-shredding yields a better, more robust texture that holds up to the dressing.
How do I know if the papaya is the right kind?
The skin should be dark green and very hard to the touch. When you cut it, the inside should be pale white and difficult to slice.
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