Entree: Thailand – Bangkok Street Food – ส้มตำ ➤ Som Tum Thai (Green papaya with chilies and lime)

Food safety reminder: Follow safe food-handling practices and use a food thermometer to verify safe internal cooking temperatures.

Serving Size: 2

Approximate Time

Prep 10 min

Cook 5 min

Total 15 min

Ingredients

- 1 medium green papaya, about 1 lb (450 g), peeled and shredded (use a julienne peeler or rasp)
- 6–8 Thai long beans or yardlong beans, cut into 1.5-inch (4 cm) pieces
- 6–8 cherry tomatoes, halved (about 6 oz / 170 g)
- 2–4 Thai bird's eye chilies, adjust to taste
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fish sauce
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh lime juice (about 1–2 limes)
- 1–1 1/2 tbsp (15–22 g) palm sugar (or brown sugar)
- 2 tbsp (30 g) roasted peanuts, crushed
- 1 tbsp (10 g) dried small shrimp (optional)
- 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) water or light fish sauce to loosen dressing if needed
- Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. In a mortar and pestle (or a sturdy bowl and muddler), gently pound the garlic and chilies to bruise them, then add the palm sugar and lightly dissolve. Add the fish sauce and lime juice and mix to create the dressing.
2. Add the shredded green papaya to the mortar (or bowl). Toss in the long beans, cherry tomatoes, and dried shrimp. Using a pounding and mixing motion, lightly crush and toss the ingredients until the papaya softens slightly but remains crunchy and the dressing coats everything. Stir in the crushed roasted peanuts, adjust seasoning with extra fish sauce, lime, or sugar to balance salty, sour, sweet, and spicy, and garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately as a bold, street-style main.