Green papaya salad (som tam)

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Papaya originates from Mesoamerica and was introduced in Asia in the 17th-Century. This papaya salad was possibly invented in Laos. For this papaya salad you will need a green unripe papaya. Start by frying some peanuts in oil. This version is Thai. Many other versions are possible.

Start by pounding garlic and fresh chiles, adding soaked dried shrimp and 1 tablespoon of the fried peanuts. Pound but keep the ingredients coarse.

Add some palm sugar, long beans (3 cm pieces) and cherry tomatoes. Add lime juice and fish sauce. Finally add finely shredded papaya. Add the remaining table spoon of peanuts. Lightly pound the peanuts.

Ingredients

  • 2 small garlic cloves

  • 2 to 3 fresh Thai chiles

  • 1 tablespoon (8g) dried shrimp

  • 2 tablespoons (30g) roasted unsalted peanuts

  • palm sugar to taste

  • 4 cherry tomatoes, halved

  • 2 long beans (about 30g), 3 cm pieces

  • fresh lime juice from 2 limes

  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) fish sauce

  • 170g shredded green papaya, from 1 green papaya

  • Cooked sticky rice, for serving