Som Tam (ส้มตำ)

Som Tam is the beloved street salad of Thailand, originating in the Isan region of the northeast and now ubiquitous from market stalls to roadside carts across the country. The name literally means "sour pounded," reflecting the mortar-and-pestle technique that bruises the ingredients and melds the dressing.

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 300g (10 oz) green (unripe) papaya, peeled and julienned
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2–4 fresh bird's eye chillies
• 2 tbsp (30ml) fish sauce
• 2 tbsp (30ml) lime juice (about 1 large lime)
• 1 tsp (5g) palm sugar or light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp (20g) dried shrimp
• 2 tbsp (20g) roasted peanuts
• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 long beans, cut into 4cm (1.5 in) pieces

Instructions

1. Using a large mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and chillies to a rough paste (about 30 seconds). Do not over-pulverize — you want some texture.
2. Add the long beans and lightly bruise them with 4–5 gentle pounds.
3. Add the dried shrimp and pound briefly, then add the papaya and toss with the pestle and a spoon, bruising rather than mashing.
4. Add fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar. Toss and pound to combine, tasting as you go — adjust to your preferred balance of sour, salty, and sweet.
5. Add cherry tomatoes and bruise gently. Fold in peanuts last.
6. Serve immediately with sticky rice and raw cabbage wedges.

Cook's Notes: If you lack a mortar and pestle, use a large bowl and the back of a wooden spoon. For a vegan version, replace fish sauce with light soy sauce and omit dried shrimp. The salad deteriorates quickly — eat within 20 minutes of dressing.