Do you Need Thai Mortar and Pestle to make Som Tum (Papaya Salad)

Thai Papaya salad is typically made in a large clay mortar with a wooden pestle to lightly pound the raw vegetables. If you don’t have a set, you can use a few things around the house to make this Thai dish.

How do I make papaya salad without a mortar and pestle?

Make the papaya salad dressing by combing sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, and tamarind juice in a small bowl. Whisk well until sugar is dissolved. Add all the vegetables and ingredients to a sturdy large mixing bowl. With cooking gloves on, massage ingredients together well until the vegetables are lightly bruised. Add the sauce, mix well, taste, adjust, and be done!

How do You Eat Thai Papaya Salad?

Papaya salad is commonly served with sticky rice on the side. In the old days, papaya salads are eaten with your fingers using sticky rice, raw vegetables, or herbs as a spoon or wrapper to scoop out each bite.

Is Thai Papaya Salad a Vegetarian Dish?

Yes and no. The beauty of the papaya salad is that you can easily modify and substitute the ingredients. That is why there is a number of variations out there. I use dried shrimp for a rich, umami flavor for this recipe. You can also use raw shrimp (cocktail shrimp) as well.

Where Can I Buy Green Papaya?

Green papayas can be found almost all year round at most local Asian markets. Some large grocery stores may carry them too. Make sure they are young and firm. The softer texture and sweeter flavor of sweet papaya will not work well for this type of green papaya salad.

What other Vegetables Can I Substitute Instead of the Green Papayas?

You can use green beans or cucumbers and make a slightly different salad. Both of those vegetables are also commonly used in Som Tum.

Thai green papaya salad recipe (Som Tum)

Name: Thai green papaya salad recipe (Som Tum)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 2 cloves fresh garlic, skin peels, and leave whole; 2-8 Thai chilis, as needed for personal spice level; 3/4 cups green beans, chopped 1 1/2-inch pieces; 1 Thai eggplant chopped thin 1/2 inch in size (optional); 8 cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves; 2 tablespoons palm sugar or tablespoons brown or white sugar; 2 tablespoons dried shrimp; 1.5 tablespoons tamarind sauce; 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 2 slices of lime 1/4 inch each, squeeze the juice, then add the wedges to the mortar for more flavor.; 2 cups shredded green papaya; 1/2 cup shredded carrots; ¼ cup unsalted peanuts, whole nuts, not crushed

Description

The Thai green papaya salad recipe (Som Tum) is a highly flavorful salad made from green unripe papaya lightly pounded with garlic, Thai chilies, tomatoes, and green beans. The sweet, tangy, and sour taste comes from fresh lime juice, fish sauce, and palm sugar. It's one tasty and healthy salad that comes out of Thai food!

Ingredients

Scale

2 cloves fresh garlic, skin peels, and leave whole
2-8 Thai chilis, as needed for personal spice level
3/4 cups green beans, chopped 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 Thai eggplant chopped thin 1/2 inch in size (optional)
8 cherry tomatoes, sliced in halves
2 tablespoons palm sugar or tablespoons brown or white sugar
2 tablespoons dried shrimp
1.5 tablespoons tamarind sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 slices of lime 1/4 inch each, squeeze the juice, then add the wedges to the mortar for more flavor.
2 cups shredded green papaya
1/2 cup shredded carrots
¼ cup unsalted peanuts, whole nuts, not crushed

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Instructions

Prepare the green papaya. Wash, and pat dry with paper towels. You can cut the peeled papaya in half before peeling it if it's easier to grip the fruit with your fingers. Peel the skin off of the papaya with a sharp knife.
Rinse the papaya again with cold water as sticky saps will ooze from the peeled papaya skin. Pat dry, then peel the raw papaya into small pieces with the kiwi peeler. Place the peeled papaya slices into a large bowl of ice water to keep them fresh and crunchy for the pounding. Save the rest of the papaya for more salads for the next few days.
Add garlic and chilis in a large mortar and pestle. Lightly pound the garlic and chilis. Do not turn it into a paste. Also, have a large spoon ready to scrape and flip the ingredients alongside the wooden mortar.
Add the green beans, Thai eggplants, and peanuts. Pound until bruised but not crushed.
Add the sliced tomatoes, palm sugar, tamarind sauce, fish sauce, and lime juice. Add the squeezed lime wedges to the mortar, adding a lightly bitter lime zest flavor to the salad. Use the spoon often to scrape, scoop and stir all the ingredients for an even mixing.
Add the shredded papaya, shredded carrot, and dried shrimp. Pound everything together well using a large spoon to stir and mix the ingredients in the mortar.
Taste the finished salad and adjust with more sugar, lime juice, or fish sauce until you get the best taste for your salad. Use the spoon to scoop and turn the salad in the mortar before serving. Sprinkle crushed peanuts on top before place in a serving plate. That’s it! Enjoy!

Notes

Thai papaya salad is best enjoyed immediately while all the flavors are still fresh. I do not recommend having any leftovers at all! (: Well, you won't want to anyway, trust me.
Green papaya comes in various sizes, and you'll most likely have leftover green papaya to make a few more salads. Partially peel the skin off for each salad to help keep the papaya fresh and crunchy for your next salad.
The finer you pound your chiles in the mortar, the spicier your salad will be. More of the oils get released and make your salad extra spicy!
Pound the peanuts with chiles and garlic for a nutty and creamy texture.
If you don't have sticky rice, use jasmine rice. If you avoid carbs, eat the salad as your main course and use leafy greens like romaine lettuce, cabbage, or butter lettuce as a salad wrap.

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Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 5
Category: Salads
Method: Pounding
Cuisine: Thai

Keywords: Thai papaya salad recipe, Thai papaya salad, Green Papaya salad, Thai Green papaya salad, Som Tum Thai, Som Tom,