Papaya salad, known as som tam in Thailand and other regions of Southeast Asia, is a traditional side dish made with green papaya, savory vegetables and herbs, all enlivened with a good dose of spice. Its fresh and complex aroma is able to satisfy even the most demanding palates; Best of all, papaya is a healthy fruit that is simple to make and doesn't require a lot of processing or long cooking times.
Ingrediants
Salad
- 1 medium-sized unripe papaya (julienned or grated)
- 1 large grated carrot
- 100 g of raw sprouted beans
- 10-12 Pachino cherry tomatoes cut in half
- 50 g of finely sliced shallot
- 2-3 sprigs of fresh cilantro (chopped or in strips)
- 2-3 sprigs of Thai basil (shredded or strips)
Aromas (crushed)
- 50 g of asparagus beans (or green beans)
- 4-5 Thai Dragon or Serrano chillies
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 15 g of dried shrimp
- 100g raw peanuts (crushed or chopped)
Seasoning
- 15-30 ml of fish sauce
- 120 ml of lime juice
- 15 g of palm sugar
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Mash the Aromatic Ingredients
Step 1. Gather the ingredients
To start, you should arrange all the aromatic dishes you intend to use for the salad; this means measuring the dried shrimps, garlic, peanuts, asparagus beans (or green beans) and chillies. Som tam is traditionally prepared by grinding or crushing these dry products in a mortar and pestle before incorporating them into fruit and vegetables.
You can look for less common products, such as dried shrimp and fish sauce, at Asian and ethnic food stores
Step 2. Prepare a mortar and pestle or a large bowl
Instead of chopping or pureeing dry ingredients, you need to mash them to get the right texture and flavor. The best way to go is to use a mortar pestle, but if you don't have it, you can grind the aromatic products into a large bowl using the convex portion of a large spoon.
- Since peanuts are so tough, you can make an exception and shred them, in case you decide not to use the pestle.
- The real som tam is often prepared all in the same mortar.
Step 3. Crush the ingredients to release the aroma
Take the dry products and grind them with the pestle or spoon until soft, while remaining intact. The aim of this operation is not to break the ingredients, but to release their intense flavor by reducing them into mouthfuls with a pleasant consistency on the palate; For best results, crush shrimp, garlic, beans, chillies and peanuts individually.
- Avoid turning them into a very fine powder; you have to get a pulpy mixture.
- If you want to save time or prefer to get a more homogeneous texture, you can pulse them in a food processor until they reach the desired size.
Step 4. Mix the aromatic ingredients
When they are lightly ground, set them aside in a bowl. It is best that they do not come into contact with the papaya and vegetables until it is time to combine the salad; in this way, the final product will be fresh, crunchy and each ingredient will maintain its organoleptic characteristics.
The flavors of the aromatic products begin to mix as they rest
Part 2 of 3: Prepare the Salad and Dressing
Step 1. Prepare the papaya
The one used for the salad is green (harvested before it is ripe) and cut into sticks the size of matches. When you go to buy it, look for one already chopped; this way, you save a lot of time without altering the final flavor of the som tam, as unripe papaya is very dry. If you're not lucky enough to find it already sliced, take the time to julienne it or use a mandolin.
- Observe it carefully when you buy it; it should have an intense green color on the outside, be hard to the touch and give very little when you squeeze it.
- If you are using whole fresh fruit, you must first remove the seeds and then chop it.
- You can also grate it with a regular kitchen grater, although this will result in very small and thin pieces.
Step 2. Cut the other vegetables into cubes
Divide the tomatoes into halves or quarters, grate or julienne the carrots and chop the shallots. Tear the Thai basil and coriander or cut them into thin strips; bean sprouts can be left whole or cut. Combine everything with the chopped papaya and mix with your hands.
Papaya is the main ingredient of the salad, while the other vegetables complement and complement the flavor and texture
Step 3. Prepare the dressing
Put lime juice, palm sugar, fish sauce and salt in a separate bowl and whisk them until they turn into a liquid. Taste the dressing to make sure it suits your tastes; a self-respecting som tam must be very balanced: the sweet, salty, sour, bitter and citrus flavors must all be present.
Add the fish sauce according to personal taste. It is an ingredient with a particular aromatic profile that gives its best when it is well balanced with the other flavors; if you overdo its dose, it can easily overpower all the other ingredients
Step 4. Stir and bring to the table
Incorporate the shredded aromatic ingredients into the papaya, carrot, scallion, sprouted beans and herbs mixture; pour the dressing over the salad and, if desired, add more chopped peanuts, cilantro or basil. Enjoy your meal!
- Papaya salad keeps well in the refrigerator and stays fresh for up to 3 days, even if the acidity of the dressing can make it soggy.
- The described recipe is enough for 3-4 servings.
Step 5. Finished
Part 3 of 3: Editing the Recipe
Step 1. Replace papaya with other vegetables
Sometimes, this fruit is not readily available, especially unripe, but for the som tam you cannot use the ripe one. If you can't find it, replace it with kohlrabi, a mixture of different types of cabbage, daikon or cucumber; any of these vegetables have a crunchy texture and, when julienned or grated, are perfect for absorbing the tart salad dressing.
- When replacing papaya with other products, buy them before they are fully ripe to make sure they stay firm.
- Neutral flavored melons, such as cantaloupe ones, are a great alternative.
Step 2. Use salt instead of fish sauce
If you are vegan or do not like the taste of fish sauce, you can exclude this ingredient and increase the dose of salt a little. Alternatively, you can use white vinegar which also provides the liquid needed to combine the dressing. The main purpose of the fish sauce is to give the dish a tangy and pungent flavor, which you can easily achieve by using another product that does not make you sick.
If possible, avoid other types of salty toppings, such as soy sauce, as they alter the flavor balance of the salad
Step 3. Add some brown sugar to emphasize the sweet notes
Palm is often used in most Southeast Asian and Malaysian cuisines, but it is not available worldwide and people who are not used to it may experience an abnormal taste. Thankfully, brown sugar is a perfect substitute that dissolves well by thickening the lime juice a little.
Experiment with the sugar dose if you want to balance the strength of the peppers
Step 4. Customize the recipe
Since the ingredients in the som tam are prepared individually and then assembled into a single salad, you can make any changes you like. Change the dose of herbs and aromatic ingredients or replace some vegetables with your favorite vegetables. You can also increase the amount of chili or omit it completely; there are endless possibilities!
Garnish the salad with freshly grilled shrimp, beef or chicken instead of dried shrimp to turn it into a more substantial dish
Advice
- If you are using fish sauce, measure the salt carefully, as this liquid is already tangy on its own.
- Serve the som tam as a cold side dish or pair it with sticky rice and grilled marinated meat.
- Add a sprinkle of tamarind juice as a topping to intensify the flavors.
- It is best to use small, thick-skinned tomatoes such as those of Pachino or Roma; the other varieties are too soft and juicy for this crunchy salad.
- To maximize the flavor of the peppers, chop them finely.
Warnings
- Taste everything you prepare to make sure it tastes right; when using ingredients with such intense aromas, it takes very little to break the balance of the dish.
- Add the peppers a little at a time; if the preparation is not spicy enough for your taste, you can always increase the dose, but there is not much you can do if you overdo it.
