PAPAYA SALAD (SOM TAM)
Award-winning chef Andy Ricker teaches you how to make the famous Thai salad as you've never had it before, with a perfect balance of sweet, sour, spicy, and salty. Bonus: Learn how to shred papaya the way they do at roadside stands in Thailand! We've never seen anything like it.
Provided by Andy Ricker
Categories main-dish
Time 45m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Cut off both ends of papaya. Use a vegetable peeler to remove green skin. To shred the papaya, hold it in one hand and use a knife to rapidly chop long, shallow cuts into the surface (making sure all the cuts run lengthwise, in the same direction). Then, thinly slice off the top layer into a bowl. This Thai method of shredding results in papaya strands that are pleasingly irregular and rustic. (Once you get the hang of it, it gets easier and you'll get much faster, but another option is to use a peeler with a shredding blade.) Shred ⅓-½ of the papaya, about 2 loosely packed cups; make sure there are no seeds.(Reserve the rest of the papaya for a different use, or for additional servings of papaya salad.)
- Salad: Place the clay mortar on a towel to keep it stable. To the mortar, add garlic, chiles, and softened palm sugar. Using a long spoon (to mix) and the pestle (to pound), pound and mix the chiles and garlic to break them up, about 10 seconds. Add two quartered pieces of Key lime, and continue pounding and mixing just enough to release juices, 10 seconds. (From this point on, pound lightly to bruise the ingredients and release flavors; do not smash.) Add shrimp; pound lightly, then mix for 5 seconds.
- Trim the long beans and slice into 2½-inch pieces; you should have about ¼ cup of long beans. Add to the mortar; pound lightly to bruise, then mix for 5 more seconds. Add papaya, fish sauce, tamarind water, and lime juice. (To make tamarind water from tamarind pulp: boil 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp; let cool for 30 minutes; strain.) Use the pestle to lightly pound the salad to the bottom of the mortar, and the spoon to turn the salad over, about 1 minute. Add halved cherry tomatoes, lightly pound, then mix, 10 seconds; add peanuts and toss with the spoon. (Do not pound the peanuts, as they will release oil and make the salad greasy).
- Serve: Place cabbage wedge on the edge of a serving platter. Arrange papaya salad on platter and serve immediately.
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Hawi Abate Geleta
[email protected]This is one of my favorite Thai dishes. The papaya salad is so refreshing and flavorful. I love the combination of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors.
Mardonet Coetzee
[email protected]I've made this recipe several times and it's always a hit. The dressing is so flavorful and the salad is so refreshing. I highly recommend it.
Frank Bigbro
[email protected]This salad is so refreshing and easy to make. I love the combination of flavors and textures. It's the perfect summer dish.
Monica Miller
[email protected]I found this recipe to be a bit bland. I added some extra fish sauce and lime juice to taste and it was much better.
Mrhamzaabbasi Mrhamzaabbasi
[email protected]This recipe is a bit too spicy for my taste, but I still enjoyed it. I would recommend using less chili peppers if you don't like spicy food.
Omorbinshaheen 444
[email protected]I love the crunch of the green papaya and the sweetness of the dressing. This is a great salad to serve as a side dish or appetizer.
Ketty Kafuko
[email protected]This was my first time making papaya salad and it turned out great! The instructions were easy to follow and the dish was delicious. I will definitely be making this again.
tochukwu joseph
[email protected]This is my go-to recipe for papaya salad. It's always a hit at parties and potlucks. The key is to use fresh, ripe papaya and to make sure the dressing is well-balanced.
S BoY
[email protected]I love how customizable this recipe is. I added some extra chili peppers for a bit of heat and it was perfect. The tamarind dressing is also delicious and really brings the whole dish together.
Lacey Clare
[email protected]This papaya salad recipe is a game-changer! The combination of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors is incredibly refreshing and addictive. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. My family and friends raved about it.