Recipes

Papaya Salad Som Yum

The epitome of Asian sweet & sour, made from shredded papaya, green beans, tomatoes, peanuts and a tangent chili lime dressing.

Crudely chop the chillies and peeled garlic into chunks then, using a large clay mortar with a wooden pestle, pound into a paste.

Add the dried shrimp and long beans and pound to bruise. Follow with the green papaya and carrot. Stir well with a spoon and rough up the vegetables so that they absorb the heat and flavor of the chillies and garlic.

Add lime juice, fish sauce and palm sugar. Stir and pound a bit more to blend the vegetables with the flavorings and seasonings.

Taste and adjust flavors to the desired hot-sour-sweet-and-salty combination. Then add the tomato pieces (use 2 medium or 6 cherry) and stir to blend in with the rest of the salad.

Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with peanuts. Typically serves 2–3 people.