Green papaya salad, also known as Som tum, is a refreshing salad with a pounding effect and not the way we toss the salad. Green papaya gives sweet, salty, umami, sour all basic tastes in one vegan salad.
Som tum indicates “sour” and “to pound”. This salad is mainly on pounding. If you don’t have mortar and pestle, a rolling pin on a cutting board works a charm. My chili was not that hot, so I added 4. Do check for flavors in-between and adjust it according to your taste.
How to choose Green papaya:
You can find green papaya in Asian stores. The green color does not represent green papaya. The flesh should be white with white seeds. If the flesh is pink it will not work for this salad. It is more on the vegetable side.
Adding flavor to the salad:
For the umami flavor, I replaced the dried shrimp by adding nutritional yeast. Green papaya doesn’t have any flavor on its own. It is bland but when pounded with salt and sugar, it gives a different taste and becomes soft.
Benefits of the ingredients: (source)
Green papaya: Has powerful antioxidant effects, has anti-cancer properties. Improves digestive health, helps treat infections, reduces signs of skin aging.
Peanuts: Peanuts are an especially good source of healthful fats, protein, and fiber.
Nutritional yeast: It can be used to add extra protein, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to meals.
Variations:
Tamarind water: add more lemon juice.
Soy sauce: You can use balsamic vinegar.
You can julienned carrots to make them more colorful.
You can check my other salad Russian salad with Greek yogurt.
Green papaya salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups green papaya peeled and julienned
- 3 cloves garlic
- 5 long beans chopped
- 3/4 cup grape tomatoes halved
- 2 to 3 thai chilies
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast optional
- 2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp tamarind juice
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the julienned papaya in water with ice, (like we do for lettuce) to make it crunchier.
- In the mortar, pound the garlic and chilies into a paste. Add sugar and pound until sugar dissolves.
- Next, add peanuts and long beans and pound till peanuts are crunchy and beans are bruised. Flip the mixture using a spoon.
- Add nutritional yeast, lemon juice, tamarind juice , and zest of lemon for added flavor.
- Meantime, remove the papaya from water and drain completely. Use paper towel to remove excess water.
- Add the julienned papaya and tomatoes, pound lightly flipping in-between. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
- If you don’t have a big mortar and pestle use a wide bowl and pound with the pestle or you can split the steps to pound each separately.
- Soy sauce is optional.
- If you don’t have mortar and pestle, a rolling pin on the cutting board works a charm.
- Papaya and grape tomatoes should be bruised not mushy. It should not lose its shape.
If you are using tamarind flesh, soak it in hot water extract the juice, and filter it. If you are having tamarind concentrate dilute with water on an equal ratio.
