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Som Tam
Salads

Som Tam

Strips of green papaya soaked in ice water, pounded in a mortar with garlic, hot pepper and brown sugar, green beans, peanuts and cherry tomatoes, in fish sauce and lime juice.

⏱ 18 min

👨‍🍳 Method

  1. 1
    Peel the papaya, halve it lengthwise and scrape out the white seeds. Grate into long strips with a julienne grater.
    PeelerKnifeCutting boardGrater
  2. 2
    Soak the papaya strips in ice water for 10 minutes and drain well: this makes them extra crisp.
    Ice bathColander
  3. 3
    In a large mortar, pound the garlic and chili pepper with the brown sugar into a coarse paste.
    Mortar and pestle
  4. 4
    Add the green beans and peanuts and pound lightly, just to crack them. Add the cherry tomatoes and press on them lightly, until they release their juice.
  5. 5
    Add the fish sauce and lime juice, then the papaya. Pound gently and toss with a spoon alternately for about a minute, so the strips soak up the dressing without getting crushed. Taste and balance: more lime for sourness, more sugar if it came out too spicy.
  6. 6
    Serve right away, with the basil sprigs on the side, to nibble between bites.
115calories
3 gprotein
21 gcarbs
3 gfat
● protein 11%● carbs 69%● fat 20%

Per serving (210 g), of 4 servings

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⚖ About the ingredients

🔧 Tools needed (7)

  • Cutting board · Also works: Plate (Large plate, dulls the knife)
  • Knife · Also works: Food processor (Fast, less control over size) · Kitchen shears (For herbs/dough)
  • Colander · Also works: Lid (a lid held slightly open over the sink, you lose a little) · Slotted spoon (for small amounts)
  • Grater · Also works: Food processor (Grating disc, more to wash) · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Knife (Chop finely, different texture)
  • Ice bath · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Refrigerator (Much longer, less green color)
  • Peeler · Also works: Paring knife (Wastes more of the fruit, slow)
  • Mortar and pestle · Also works: Spice/coffee grinder (None) · Food processor (Less even and oily; needs a larger amount) · Rolling pin (Crush in a bag)

By the steps, as the recipe is built now: another version or addition can change the list.

⚙️ What you can change

  • Papaya in ice water (minutes): 10

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