August 30, 2022

Originating from the Northeast of Thailand, in the Isan region, Som Tam is an iconic Thai recipe but can also be found in Laos and Cambodia. It is a green papaya salad whose flavors are simultaneously sour, sweet and spicy. Renowned for being intensely hot, this salad delivers a true explosion of flavors on the palate. Here is the recipe for the traditional Thai green papaya salad.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 medium-sized green papaya
• 2 carrots
• 2 or 3 Thai red chilies or bird's eye chilies (adjust to your taste)
• A few cherry tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 lime
• 1 handful (or 5 tablespoons) of roasted unsalted peanuts
• 2 tablespoons of fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam plaa)
• 1 tablespoon of palm sugar
• A few coriander leaves

Practical Information

Optional: you can add fresh or dried shrimp.

Good to know: there are many variations of the Som Tam recipe: som-tam pou (with crab), som-tam plâ râ (with fermented fish)…

Equipment: the traditional method for preparing Som Tam requires the use of a mortar and pestle (called Sark in Thai). This method actually inspired the name of the recipe since Som means "sour" and Tam means "to pound".

Preparation time: 20-30 minutes

The different steps to make Som Tam

1. Peel the papaya and cut it in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds with a spoon and rinse it with clear water (to reduce the fruit's acidity).

2. Grate the papaya and carrots into very fine strips. Set aside.

3. In a mortar, pound the peanuts and set them aside.

4. In the mortar (emptied), pound the chilies and garlic until you obtain a paste consistency. Add the papaya and carrot strips to the mortar.

5. Add the palm sugar, fish sauce and lime juice to the mortar preparation.

6. Pound all the ingredients again.

7. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and add them to the salad. Also add the shrimp if desired. Mix everything together.

8. Incorporate the peanuts into the preparation and mix.

9. Sprinkle the Som Tam salad with a few coriander leaves and the salad is ready!

You can serve the Som Tam salad with sticky rice to tame the heat of the chili.

Bon appétit!

Florine Dergelet

Florine Dergelet

A web writer for over 10 years, Florine Dergelet is a traveler driven by a desire to discover the world with an open heart. Each of her articles is an invitation to slow down, to listen, to understand. Because for her, traveling is not about checking countries off a map, but weaving connections (often invisible but always powerful) with places, peoples and all sorts of creatures in the animal kingdom. Her creed? Advise travelers with integrity, raise their awareness about animal welfare, respect for cultures, and the importance of humble and sustainable tourism. Because the most beautiful memories often spring from far from the spotlight, in the shadow of a trail, at the edge of a conversation, or in the quiet breath of a world you finally take time to listen to…