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Authentic Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum)

A close-up of a vibrant papaya salad featuring shredded green papaya, cherry tomatoes, green beans, and crushed peanuts.
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Make this crunchy, fresh, and intensely flavorful Thai Green Papaya Salad, known as Som Tum. It achieves the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, sour, and salty, making it a vibrant side dish or light lunch.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups shredded unripe (green) papaya
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2–4 Thai bird’s eye chilies (adjust to your spice preference)
  • 1 tablespoon dried shrimp (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon tamarind paste (optional, for sourness)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dressing base: Place the garlic and chilies into a mortar. Pound them gently with a pestle until they are crushed but not completely smooth.
  2. Add the palm sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and tamarind paste (if using) to the mortar. Pound and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. This is your vibrant flavor salad dressing.
  3. Add the dried shrimp (if using) and a few peanuts to the mortar. Lightly bruise them with the pestle.
  4. Add the green beans and cherry tomatoes. Gently pound the mixture 3-4 times to release their juices without crushing them entirely.
  5. Add the shredded green papaya to the mortar. Use the pestle to gently press and toss the papaya with the dressing mixture. You want to bruise the papaya slightly to absorb the flavor, not mash it.
  6. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl. Top with the remaining chopped peanuts.
  7. Serve this fresh and crunchy salad immediately.

Notes

  • For the best texture, use a mortar and pestle. If you do not have one, you can finely mince the garlic and chilies and mix them vigorously with the liquids in a bowl.
  • This recipe is naturally gluten free and low carb.
  • Pair this spicy Asian salad with grilled chicken or seafood for a complete meal.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingbyjade.com/papaya-salad-authentic-thai-som-tum-recipe/