A Vegetarian Som Tum/ Som Tam - Thai Green Papaya Salad (GF, V)
Vegetarian Som Tum or Thai Green Papaya Salad with finely shredded raw papaya, yard long beans/ snake beans, tomatoes topped with crushed toasted peanuts.
Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic (or 2 if you really like but not more)
- 2 to 3 small green or red chillies (or according to your preference)
- 2 tbsps powdered jaggery (palm , if you can find it)
- 2 to 3 tsps lime juice (or more)
- 2 tbsps light soy sauce
- 1/2 kg green raw papaya peeled and finely shredded into long strands
- 2 medium sized tomatoes cut into eights (or cherry cut in half)
- 3 or 4 tender yard long beans/ snake beans
- 1 small carrot finely shredded (optional)
- 2 to 3 tbsps crushed toasted peanuts (I prefer using salted)
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
Instructions
- Put the garlic in a mortar and lightly pound the garlic. Then add the chillies and lightly pound again. Now add the jaggery, lime juice and soy sauce and use the pestle to mix everything to a paste.
- Add the beans and pound gently just to bruise and soften them Now add the shredded papaya and carrot (if using) and pound softly, again just bruising them.
- Now transfer the salad to a bowl, add the tomatoes and adjust the seasonings according to your taste. There should be a good balance of sweet, sour, spicy flavours with a little bit of salt.
- Lastly add the toasted peanuts and mix well. Transfer to serving bowls, garnish with coriander leaves and serve.