Som tam (green papaya salad)
Indulge in the fresh flavors of Som Tam, a zesty green papaya salad bursting with vibrant ingredients and a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy notes.
Ingredients:
- 6 fresh kii noo chiles, whole, or 2 fresh Serrano chilies, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon coarsely chopped shallot
- 1 small hard, green unripe papaya, peeled and finely shredded (about 2 cups)
- 9 green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths
- 1 teaspoon palm sugar or granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1/4 lime, quartered
- 1 plum tomato, quartered
- Sticky rice, for serving
Instructions:
- Mix together chilies, garlic, and shallots. Crush and grind using a mortar and pestle until finely broken down but not mushy. Stir well with a spoon, ensuring to scrape down the sides. Add papaya and continue pounding until the firm shreds soften (approximately 3 minutes). Turn the mixture with a spoon while pounding. Incorporate the beans and lightly crush them. Introduce sugar, salt, and fish sauce individually, pounding slightly after each addition. Extract juice from the lime sections into the mixture, then add the lime pieces to the mortar. Include the tomato, pound for another minute, and rotate the mixture as before. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning for a balance of tangy, spicy, savory, and sweet flavors. Using a slotted spoon, move the salad to a small serving dish. Drizzle some of the remaining sauce on top and serve with sticky rice.
Summary:
- Calories: 159 kcal
- Fat: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Carbs: 37 g
- Potassium: 860 mg
- Magnesium: 132 mg