Som Tum Papaya Salad Recipe

Prepare papaya

Peel the green papaya. Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, julienne the papaya into thin matchsticks about 2–3 inches long. Rinse briefly and drain well in a colander. Measure about 3 cups packed.

Prepare vegetables and nuts

Trim the ends of the green beans and cut into 1–1.5 inch pieces. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Lightly crush the roasted peanuts (use a mortar or place in a zip bag and bash gently). If using dried shrimp, check for any large stems and chop coarsely.

If you prefer the vegetarian version, set aside soy sauce and toasted soy crumbles (or extra peanuts) to replace fish sauce and dried shrimp in the dressing and salad.

Place the chilis and garlic in a large mortar. Pound gently until roughly crushed — you want small pieces and aromatic paste, not a smooth purée. Adjust chiles to your heat preference.

Add the palm sugar to the mortar and continue to pound until partially dissolved and blended with the chili-garlic paste.

Add the lime juice, fish sauce, and tamarind paste (if using). Stir/pound briefly in the mortar to combine. Taste and adjust balance: it should be spicy, tangy, and slightly sweet. For vegetarian version, use soy or mushroom soy sauce instead of fish sauce.

In the mortar (if there's still space) or in a large mixing bowl, add the julienned papaya and the cut green beans to the dressing. If using the mortar, lightly pound the papaya and beans 8–10 times — this bruises the papaya slightly and helps it absorb the dressing without turning mushy. If using a bowl, toss vigorously with a wooden spoon or tongs.

Add the halved cherry tomatoes and dried shrimp (or vegetarian substitute). Gently toss or pound once or twice to mix — tomatoes should be lightly crushed to release some juice into the dressing but not pulverized.

Add most of the crushed peanuts, reserving a tablespoon for garnish. Toss again to combine and coat everything evenly in the dressing.

Transfer the som tum to a serving plate. Sprinkle the reserved crushed peanuts over the top and garnish with fresh Thai basil or cilantro if using.

Taste and adjust seasoning: add more lime juice for acidity, sugar for sweetness, or soy/fish sauce for saltiness. Serve immediately with sticky rice or as a spicy side salad.