Saturday, August 4, 2012

SOM TAM


Every time I go to Bangkok, I make sure to have green papaya salad. Locally known as som tam, the dish combines sour (lime), salty (fish sauce), spicy (chilies) and sweet (palm sugar) taste which gives it a unique and balance savory flavor.  

The dish is also a delicacy to Thai neighboring countries, in Laos they call it tam mak hoong and bok l'hong in Cambodia. This is made by shredding unripe papaya then mixed and pounded in a mortar.

Sharing my version of Thai Papaya Salad for this month's  Kulinarya Cooking Club  Challenge : Pambaha ng Buhay hosted by Isabel and Kai.




Ingredients
1 c Shredded Green Papaya
¼ c Shredded carrots
6 Cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)
2 tblspn Dried Shrimps
3 tblspn Roasted Peanuts
2 pcs Bird’s eye chillies
4-5 cloves Garlic
2 tbspn Brown Sugar
2 tblspn Fish Sauce
1 ½ tblspn Lime or Lemon Juice
1 tblspn Tamarind Paste

Procedure
Pound garlic, dried shrimps, chillies and peanuts in mortar

Add cherry tomatoes, pound few times until juice comes out of the tomato

Season with lime juice, palm sugar, fish sauce and tamarind paste

Add papaya and carrots mix well

Food Notes :

1. Thai Papaya Salad is listed number 46 on CNN GO's 2011 World's 50 most delicious foods
2. In the streets of Bangkok, Som Tam is prepared according to customer's taste 



14 comments:

  1. This is one pampahaba ng buhay that I like!!! So nice to pair with fried fish or pork!

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  2. you will find me eat this... a plateful? mayhaps even more haha. yeeah i love love love som tam too!

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  3. This is a great side dish and I love it! Pambadami din ng makakain dahil pampagana talaga :-)

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  4. I love som tam! Curiously I first ate this in Manila, and when I went to Bangkok I couldn't find it. But then I should just cook it at home, thanks to your recipe.

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    1. Really.. the one in bangkok is too spicy for me =)

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  5. Oh this is soooo good! I love this especially when paired with anything fried or grilled!

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  6. I'm salivating already. This is an appetite opener. Do you have recipe for Mango Salad too?

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  7. I love green papaya salad but it usually is too hot for my taste. Your salad looks so fresh and delicious!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks ! =) less chilies for you then =) happy cooking !!! =)

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