Som Tum Thai (Green Papaya Salad)

Praew October 1, 2023 1 Comment

5 / 1 Review

Enjoy this crunchy, flavorful Thai salad, a healthy and easy-to-make authentic dish, perfect for either lunch or dinner.

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Close-up image of Som Tum Thai, featuring shredded papaya, sliced tomatoes, lime, and peanuts, artfully presented on a banana leaf in a bamboo dish.

Som tum Thai (Green Papaya Salad) is bursting with crispy vegetables drenched in a delicious dressing that hits all the right notes: spicy, tangy, subtly sweet, and lightly salty. In this nutritious meal, each healthy bite is like a rollercoaster of flavors. It’s a masterpiece of Thai cuisine and it’s always prepared with fresh ingredients and a good-old traditional mortar and pestle.

Som tum Thai served with fried chicken, hard-boiled eggs, and stir-fried vegetables.

Table of Contents

Som tum salad variations

The beauty of Thai green papaya salad is the versatility, and how easy it is to customize. When you journey across the different regions of Thailand, you’ll find the salad subtly changing in flavor and ingredients. Each region has its own unique method of preparation.

Som Tam Thai served in a blue and white bowl.

Som tam pla ra

The northeastern region of Thailand – Isan – is where we favor our own unique version of this Thai salad, known as “som tum poo pla ra”. This version of Thai papaya salad is made with crab and fermented fish sauce, which is a traditional culinary ingredient of rural Thailand.

I remember seeing jars of homemade fermented fish sauce in front of houses in Isan when I was a kid. But now, people prefer to buy it from stores or food markets.

My grandmother used to catch fish during the rainy season to make fermented fish sauce herself, but now she’s too old for that. She told me that young people today don’t like to go fishing as much and prefer to buy things from the store instead. Making homemade fermented fish sauce is a tradition that’s slowly disappearing in Thailand.

My recipe for this variation of papaya salad is similar, but it doesn’t contain any crab.

Som tum pla ra served in a white dish, with fresh vegetables and a wooden fork and spoon on the side. In the background is a wooden small wooden mortar for decoration.

Tam sua

Tam sua is similar to som tum pla ra, both are extremely delicious Thai salads with unique flavors. Tam sua comes with a tasty extra – there’s the addition of rice vermicelli, which adds extra texture and deliciousness.

Other papaya salads

Som tum pha is another versatile Thai salad, packed with ingredients. It’s a tasty mix of pickled veggies, freshwater snails, bamboo, bean sprouts, and more. If you’re in for a Thai food adventure, then this salad is the perfect option!

And it doesn’t stop there. Papaya salad can also be made with a ripe papaya, creating a completely different meal. The final taste also depends on the recipe passed down through generations of the Thai household that made the salad.

About this recipe

In this easy salad recipe, we’re whipping up som tum Thai, a crowd-pleasing salad that’s perfect for everyone. The best thing about it is that it’s perfect for those new to the wonderful world of Thai cuisine. It’s the ideal choice for starting your Thai food exploration, but also a great meal for experienced Thai foodies.

Close-up image of a vibrant Som Tum Thai salad featuring shredded papaya, tomatoes, lime, and peanuts, placed on a banana leaf, with an array of fresh vegetables blurred in the background.

Green papaya salad has a spot on my favorites list for its delightful crunch, bright colors, a perfect balance of flavors, and the irresistible peanuts. I still remember the times I tried it as a little girl – oh boy, talk about a spicy meal!

If you’ve ever travelled to Thailand, and you’ve wandered the street food markets, you probably remember the rhythmic pounding of vendors using their mortar and pestles. The juices are extracted by pounding and crushing them with the mortar. And it’s not just a street food meal, this traditional Thai salad is found in Thai restaurants from south to north.

Close-up of authentic papaya salad with roasted peanuts, yard-long beans, and tomatoes, served with fried chicken and hard-boiled eggs.

Green papaya

Green papayas can be found growing on papaya trees. Fortunately, my grandmother’s backyard in Thailand is full of these trees. Our family loves them because of how versatile the fruit is. When ripe, they’re deliciously sweet and soft, while unripe ones are perfect for making a crisp salad.

Several flourishing papaya trees under tropical weather conditions, with the foreground tree showcasing hanging fruits.

How to peel and shred a papaya

The traditional way of peeling and shredding a papaya is with a sharp knife that fits comfortably in your hand and a simple vegetable peeler.

Use the vegetable peeler to remove the skin, the skin should come off easily. Use your knife to cut off the harder part at both ends.
Once your papaya is peeled, gently chop into the papaya with your knife, making small incisions in it. Hold the knife in your dominant hand and chop, all while slowly rotating the papaya with your other hand. Hold firmly. If you have never done this before, slow and steady is the way to go!
Next, use the knife to slice off the layers. This creates thin green papaya shreds that will soak up all the delicious flavors coming from the other ingredients with ease. You can also use a julienne peeler, but a knife is the traditional way.

Step-by-step images showing how to prepare green papaya: peeling it, making knife incisions, and slicing off shreds.

Tip: If you’re not using a whole papaya, cut it in half and keep one half in your refrigerator. Alternatively, you can shred the whole papaya and keep the leftover slices in an airtight container in your refrigerator.

Ingredients

Shredded papaya, yard-long beans, lime, tomatoes, roasted peanuts, palm sugar, and fish sauce displayed on a wooden background.

Green papaya – You’ll want to pick the perfect papaya for your salad. Look for a fruit that has a deep green color, one that’s firm when you squeeze it. Those that are slightly soft are already ripening. To preserve their freshness, they’re best stored in the refrigerator after purchasing them.

Yard long beans – Yard long beans add a satisfying crunch and extra freshness to the salad. The beans are cut into medium-short pieces before being tossed into the salad. For me, these are a key ingredient, they go great with the spicy and tangy flavors.

Thai chilies – Traditionally, this Thai street food salad is eaten with a nice balance of flavors rather than an overwhelming level of spice, so it’s an excellent choice for those who want to have a first go at this healthy meal. Tourists in Thailand will often be served a less fiery variant when ordering an authentic som tum. If spicy food isn’t for you, simply use mild chili peppers or remove the seeds.

Small tomatoes / cherry tomatoes – You can also use large tomatoes and cut them in small slices.

Limes – Fresh lime juice is recommended for the best results flavor wise.

Garlic – Garlic is a flavor essential ingredient. In Thailand, we usually toss in the garlic cloves without peeling them beforehand, quick and easy!

Roasted peanuts – Something that Thai people love to do is roasting our raw peanuts prior to adding them to our meals. This is very easy, just bring a cooking pan to heat and roast the peanuts. After roasting, rub the peanuts between your hands to remove their skins, and blow to send the skins away.

Palm sugar – Add more palm sugar for a sweeter taste.

Fish sauce – Adding more fish sauce increases the saltiness. Be gentle when adding more fish sauce, do taste-tests in between adding more because fish sauce has a strong flavor.

Dried mini shrimp (optional)

All ingredients can be found at Asian grocery stores or at Asian markets.

Step-by-step instructions

Prepping the fresh ingredients is the longest part, this is an easy <a href=”https://hungryinthailand.com/recipe-key/one-pot/”>one-pot</a>, no-cook recipe! Everything is simply pounded in a mortar and pestle, so there’s no cooking involved. Once your veggies are ready and the papaya is shredded, you’re just five minutes away from enjoying a tasty meal.<br><br>Just a quick tip – If you have one, use a large mortar, as it will need to hold quite a few ingredients.

Total Time: 15 minutes

Begin by peeling the papaya and grating it into thin slices. Cut the limes and tomatoes into bite-sized pieces. Chop the yard long beans into small to medium-sized pieces.
Pound the chilies and garlic until they are slightly broken down.
Add the yard long beans and lightly pound them, just enough to release their juice. Don’t break them completely, you want a fresh crunch, not a mushy texture.
Add the fish sauce, the peanuts and the palm sugar. Pound and mix the ingredients. If needed, use a spoon to help you, I use a wooden spoon or a plastic rice spoon.
Squeeze fresh lime juice into the mortar and toss in the lime peels. Then, add the shredded green papaya along with the tomato slices. Pound and stir to ensure all the papaya slices have soaked up the flavors. Serve immediately for best taste.

Optional: Add dried mini shrimp at this stage.

How to serve

In Isan, we typically serve som tum Thai as a side-dish with our sticky rice and grilled meat, such as these Thai marinated chicken wings. Preparing multiple dishes and sharing them with friends or family is part of our Thai culture.

Alternatively, you can enjoy this salad solo for a flavorful lunch or dinner, it’s packed with freshness and flavor.

How to store

This healthy dish is best enjoyed immediately after making it. When stored, the papaya slices will lose their crunchiness, and the flavors won’t be as good. However, you can keep it for several hours in the refrigerator, in an airtight container.

As for the shredded papaya, you can make it ahead and store it in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ’s)

Is a papaya salad healthy?

Absolutely, fresh papaya salad is a healthy choice. It’s filled with fruits and vegetables such as tomatoes, long beans, papaya, and it’s loaded with vitamins and nutrients. This salad is also a rich source of dietary fiber, and it’s low on the calorie scale. Just use a moderate amount of fish sauce, as fish sauce tends to be high in sodium.

What to serve with green papaya salad?

This unique salad surprises your flavor buds with an explosion of flavors. The crunchy shredded papaya slices are drenched in a delicious dressing with the perfect amount of spicy, a bit sour, and lightly sweet.

What does green papaya salad taste like?

Green papaya salad, often referred to as som tum, has unique flavors and ingredients that vary depending on the recipe or Thai household preparing it. The shredded pieces of unripe papaya have a crisp texture, and they’re drenching in a tangy, sweet, spicy, and savory dressing. The salad may also include tomatoes, yard long beans, peanuts, dried mini shrimp, crab, and more. Overall, this salad is super refreshing, with each bite providing an explosion of flavor.

Can I make this in advance?

Papaya salad comes together quickly, and you can speed up the preparation by shredding the papaya in advance and slicing the other ingredients. You can keep the prepped ingredients in airtight containers in your refrigerator, and mix them together when you’re ready to serve.

Is green papaya salad vegetarian?

A traditional Thai papaya salad may contain dried shrimp or crab. It’s always prepared with fish sauce, but the fish sauce can be substituted for a vegetarian fish sauce alternative. These can be found in Asian grocery stores or online. You can omit the dried shrimp or other ingredients you don’t like.

More Thai salads you’ll love

Thai long bean salad – One of the easiest salads to make, my go-to recipe for when I’m short on time.

Larb recipe with pork – Larb is a unique salad, made with ground meat such as beef or chicken, and fresh herbs and spices.

Grilled beef salad – Nam tok nua is one of my personal favorites, it’s prepared with grilled beef and pairs best with sticky rice.

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5 from 1 vote