Som Tam Recipe (Thai Green Papaya Salad)
User Reviews
5
Som Tam Recipe (Thai Green Papaya Salad)
Description
This Som Tam Recipe starts with preparing tamarind water by soaking dried tamarind, which forms the sour base of the dressing. Green papaya is peeled, shredded, and mixed with a blend made by mashing bird's eye chiles, garlic, chopped long beans, and the tamarind water combined with palm sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice, and sea salt. Chopped tomatoes are added and lightly mashed to integrate flavors without losing texture.
The salad delivers a balance of spicy heat from the chiles, sourness from tamarind and lemon, sweetness from palm sugar, and umami from soy sauce. The fresh crunch of green papaya is complemented by optional long beans and acidity from tomatoes. Roasted peanuts add a nutty crunch, while cilantro freshens the dish.
Som Tam makes a refreshing side or salad and is typical in Thai cuisine. Adjusting the levels of chilies, lemon, or tamarind customizes its taste. Adding carrots or substituting soy sauce with tamari or liquid aminos are possible variations. Using grated fresh papaya ensures authentic texture, but variations exist depending on availability.
Ingredients
For tamarind water
- ½ teaspoon tamarind - dried
- 2 tablespoons water
Other ingredients
- 2.5 cups papaya 400 grams, unripe, shredded
- ½ teaspoon garlic or 2 medium garlic cloves, chopped
- 3 to 4 Bird's eye chilli can add less or more as required
- 1 tomato - small sized or 2 to 3 cherry tomatoes
- 2 to 3 long beans or green beans - optional
- 2 tablespoons peanuts roasted
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce - naturally brewed or fermented
- 2 tablespoons palm sugar or as required
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice or as required
- salt as per taste, sea salt
For garnish
- 1 tablespoon peanuts or crushed peanuts, chopped; roasted
- 1 to 2 tablespoons cilantro - optional
Instructions
Making tamarind water
- For tamarind water, soak the dried tamarind in the hot water for 15 to 20 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind and add the pulp to the water. Set aside.
Grating green papaya
- Rinse, pat dry and peel the unripe green papaya. Halve it vertically. Remove any of the tiny white seeds and pith. Grate or shred using a food processor or a box grater.
Making salad dressing
- In a mortar, take the birds eye chillies and garlic cloves. Using a pestle and mortar, mash the bird's eye chilies and garlic together. If using long beans, then add 2 to 3 beans (chopped) at this step.
- Add the prepared tamarind water, palm sugar, soy sauce, lemon juice and sea salt as needed to the mortar. Mash and mix everything to a loose paste.
- Add chopped tomato or halved cherry tomatoes. Mash the tomatoes a bit, but not too much.
Making papaya salad
- Pour dressing mixture in the bowl containing the shredded papaya. Mix very well and mash a bit to soften the unripe papaya. Check the taste and add more salt, palm sugar, lemon juice, crushed bird's eye chillies or tamarind pulp if needed.
Serving suggestions
- Serve garnished with chopped roasted peanuts and cilantro.
- Som tam tastes awesome as it is. But you can choose to serve it as a side or as a starter with a Thai main course.
- The papaya salad flavors pair well with pan fried tofu, fried rice, stir fried noodles, grilled or sautéed mushrooms, tofu steaks, or fresh, blanched, sautéed or roasted vegetables like carrots, potatoes, brussels sprouts, corn on the cobs, cabbage, green beans, cauliflower, bell pepper or lettuce.
Storage
- The salad will keep in the refrigerator for up to two days. You can eat it cold or let it come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Adjust spices and sweeteners according to personal taste preferences.
- Substitute lemon juice if tamarind or tamarind paste is unavailable to maintain acidity.
- Bragg liquid aminos or tamari can replace soy sauce for different flavor profiles.
- Long beans are optional and can be excluded if raw beans aren't preferred.
- Carrots may be added to introduce additional sweetness and texture.
- Use table salt, kosher salt, pink salt, or sea salt based on availability and taste preferences.
- If using packaged tamarind pulp, adjust quantity according to its sourness, typically ½ to 1 tablespoon.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 470 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 470kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 78g | 26% |
| Protein | 15g | 30% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Sodium | 2277mg | 95% |
| Potassium | 1304mg | 28% |
| Fiber | 11g | 44% |
| Sugar | 51g | 102% |
| Vitamin A | 4503IU | 90% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 8mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 264mg | 293% |
| Vitamin E | 3mg | |
| Vitamin K | 21µg | |
| Calcium | 120mg | 12% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 206µg | |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
| Magnesium | 161mg | 40% |
| Phosphorus | 235mg | |
| Zinc | 2mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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