Name: Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum)
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons sugar, or more to taste; 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or more to taste; 2 tablespoons nam pla; 2 small fresh chiles, preferably Thai, stemmed, seeded, and minced; 1 small tomato, cored and cut into eighths; 2 tablespoons finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts; Chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish; 1 shallot, minced; 2 or 3 yard-long beans or about a dozen green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and lightly smashed; 1 green (unripe) papaya, peeled, seeded, and shredded

Preparation info

Makes
4
servings

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
20 min

Appears in

The Best Recipes in the World

By Mark Bittman

Published 2005

About

This fiery, strong northern Thai specialty (if it’s made correctly, you will really reek after eating it, but it’s worth it) has become one of the most popular dishes in Thailand and at Thai restaurants in the States. When I was in Bangkok, I could not walk down the streets or through the markets without at least a dozen offers of Som Tum from the vendors, and it was hard not to stop for a little dish with some grilled meat and sticky rice. You can usually find green, or unripe, papayas and