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Authentic Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum Thai)

A close-up shot of fresh papaya salad featuring shredded green papaya, bright red cherry tomatoes, and green beans.
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Make authentic Thai Green Papaya Salad, Som Tum Thai, at home. This recipe delivers the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, sour, and salty flavors with a satisfying crunch. It is naturally gluten free and a refreshing side dish.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups shredded unripe (green) papaya
  • 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1/4 cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1–3 Thai chilies (adjust to your spice preference)
  • 1 tablespoon dried shrimp (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice (freshly squeezed)
  • 1 teaspoon tamarind paste (optional, for sourness)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dressing base: In a mortar and pestle, lightly crush the garlic and chilies until broken down. Do not over-process; you want texture.
  2. Add the dried shrimp (if using) and peanuts to the mortar. Lightly pound them a few times to release flavor.
  3. Add the palm sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and tamarind paste (if using). Pound and stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved, creating the dressing.
  4. Add the green beans and cherry tomatoes to the mortar. Gently bruise them with the pestle a few times. You want them slightly broken but not mashed.
  5. Add the shredded green papaya to the mortar. Use the pestle to gently pound and toss the papaya with the dressing mixture. Work quickly to keep the papaya crisp.
  6. Taste the salad and adjust seasoning if needed—add more lime for sourness, fish sauce for saltiness, or sugar for sweetness.
  7. Transfer the salad to a serving plate. Garnish with extra chopped peanuts. Serve immediately as a light summer salad or side dish.

Notes

  • For the best texture, use a firm, unripe green papaya. If you cannot find green papaya, use firm jicama or carrots as a substitute, though the flavor will change.
  • If you do not have a mortar and pestle, you can mix the dressing ingredients in a bowl and toss them with the vegetables in a large bowl, pressing down firmly with a spoon to bruise the ingredients.
  • Serve this vibrant flavor salad with sticky rice or grilled chicken for a complete Thai food recipe experience.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://miameal.com/papaya-salad-recipe-som-tum-thai/