Som Tam
Green papaya salad
Ingredients
- 1 Green papaya
- 100 g Long beans
- 150 g Cherry tomatoes
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 3 Thai chilies
- 2 tbsp Fish sauce
- 2 Lime
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 50 g Peanuts (optional)
Method
- Shred the green papaya and cut the long beans into lengths.
- Pound the garlic, chili, palm sugar, fish sauce, and lime into a rough dressing.
- Bruise the papaya, beans, and tomatoes into the dressing, pounding gently.
- Pile onto a plate and scatter peanuts to serve.
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About Som Tam
Som tam is Thailand's iconic green papaya salad, a pounded dish rooted in the northeastern Isan region and now eaten across the country and much of Southeast Asia. It is made in a large mortar, where the ingredients are bruised rather than fully crushed so the shredded unripe papaya stays crunchy while soaking up the dressing. The defining character is its collision of tastes: sour lime, salty fish sauce, sweet palm sugar, and fierce chili heat all at once, a hallmark of Thai flavor balance.
The pounding technique is what sets this apart from a simple tossed salad. Garlic, chili, palm sugar, fish sauce, and lime are worked into a rough dressing first, then the papaya, long beans, and cherry tomatoes are bruised into it so their juices mingle and the papaya turns pliable but keeps its bite. Peanuts scattered over the top add richness and crunch to finish. High in fiber and low in calories, som tam is bright, fiery, and refreshing, traditionally served with sticky rice and grilled meats or eaten on its own as a punchy, cooling foil to hot weather.
Som Tam: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Som Tam?
A serving has about 182 calories — 5.3g protein, 29.3g carbs, 5.9g fat, 4.5g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Som Tam gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Som Tam has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Do I need every ingredient to make Som Tam?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out peanuts — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Som Tam make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.