📝 About This Recipe
Transport your senses to the bustling night markets of Isan with this vibrant, quintessential Thai street food staple. This salad is a masterclass in balance, artfully hitting every note of the flavor profile: sour lime, salty fish sauce, fiery chilies, and sweet palm sugar. The crunch of shredded green papaya combined with the punchy, garlic-infused dressing makes for an incredibly refreshing entrée salad that is both light and deeply satisfying.
🥗 Ingredients
The Base
- 4 cups Green Papaya (shredded into long thin strips; must be firm and unripe)
- 1/2 cup Carrots (shredded for color and sweetness)
- 1/2 cup Long Beans (cut into 1-inch pieces; also known as snake beans)
- 1 cup Cherry Tomatoes (halved)
The Aromatics and Dressing
- 3-4 pieces Garlic Cloves (peeled)
- 2-5 pieces Thai Bird's Eye Chilies (adjust to your preferred spice level)
- 2 tablespoons Palm Sugar (finely chopped or shaved)
- 2.5 tablespoons Fish Sauce (high quality, such as Red Boat or Megachef)
- 3 tablespoons Lime Juice (freshly squeezed; about 2 limes)
- 1 tablespoon Dried Shrimp (rinsed and patted dry)
The Finish
- 1/4 cup Roasted Peanuts (unsalted and toasted)
- 1/4 cup Fresh Cilantro (roughly chopped for garnish)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Prepare the green papaya by peeling the skin with a vegetable peeler until the white-green flesh is exposed.
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2
Shred the papaya using a mandoline or a traditional Thai shredder. If doing it by hand, make vertical cuts into the flesh and then shave off the layers to create long, thin matchsticks. Place the shredded papaya in a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to maximize crunch, then drain and dry thoroughly.
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3
In a large clay or wooden mortar, add the garlic cloves and Thai chilies. Pound them with a pestle until they are broken down into small bits but not a smooth paste.
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4
Add the dried shrimp to the mortar and pound lightly to break up the fibers, allowing their salty flavor to release.
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5
Add the chopped palm sugar to the mortar. Use the pestle to grind it against the sides until it dissolves into the garlic and chili mixture.
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6
Pour in the fish sauce and freshly squeezed lime juice. Stir with a spoon to ensure the sugar is fully incorporated into the liquid.
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7
Add the cut long beans to the mortar. Bruise them gently with the pestle—you want them to crack open slightly to absorb the dressing, but remain crunchy.
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8
Add the halved cherry tomatoes. Press them gently with the pestle just until the skins pop and the juices mingle with the dressing.
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9
Add the shredded papaya and carrots to the mortar. This is the 'Som Tum' (pounding) stage: use the pestle in one hand to lightly pound the vegetables while using a large spoon in the other to toss them from the bottom.
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10
Continue tossing and lightly pounding for about 30-45 seconds until the papaya has wilted slightly and is thoroughly coated in the sauce.
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11
Taste the salad. It should be a perfect harmony of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. Adjust with more lime for sourness or fish sauce for saltiness if needed.
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12
Add half of the roasted peanuts and give it one final toss.
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13
Transfer the salad to a serving platter, ensuring you pour all the delicious juices from the mortar over the top.
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14
Garnish with the remaining peanuts and fresh cilantro. Serve immediately while the papaya is at its peak crispness.
💡 Chef's Tips
If you can't find green papaya, a very firm green mango or even shredded kohlrabi makes an excellent substitute. Always use a wooden or clay mortar; a granite mortar is too heavy and will pulverize the vegetables into mush. To keep the papaya extra crunchy, make sure it is chilled and very dry before adding it to the dressing. Adjust the heat by removing the seeds from the chilies if you want the flavor without the intense burn. For a vegan version, substitute the fish sauce with a high-quality vegan 'no-fish' sauce or light soy sauce and omit the dried shrimp.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of Thai sticky rice (Khao Niew) to soak up the spicy dressing. Pair with grilled chicken (Gai Yang) or crispy pork belly for a complete traditional meal. Accompany with fresh wedges of raw cabbage or cucumber to help cool the palate between bites. Enjoy with a cold Thai lager or a crisp, off-dry Riesling to balance the heat. For a modern grain bowl twist, serve over a bed of chilled rice noodles.