Tam Sua (Rice Vermicelli Papaya Salad)

Name: Tam Sua (Rice Vermicelli Papaya Salad)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 3
Ingredients: 3 cloves garlic; 2 red chilies; 3 tablespoons fermented fish sauce; 2 tablespoons fish sauce; 2 tablespoons tamarind paste; 1 tablespoon palm sugar; 1 lime; 30 grams tomatoes; 150 grams green papaya; 200 grams rice vermicelli noodles; 5 culantro leaves; handful bean sprouts

Praew July 2, 2023 1 Comment

5 / 1 Review

Pound together your new favorite Thai salad in just 15 minutes!

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Tam sua, or rice vermicelli papaya salad, is such a flavorful treat and I love everything about it. From the chewy texture of the rice vermicelli, to the crunchy texture of the papaya shreds, to the spiciness and strong Thai flavors.

A bright and colorful tam sua on top of a banana leaf in a bamboo place mat, on a white wooden background.

Table of Contents

What is tam sua

Tam sua is a traditional Thai salad originating from the northern region of Thailand. It’s made from a combination of healthy ingredients such as vermicelli noodles, shredded green papaya, garlic, chilies, fermented fish sauce, tamarind, and more.

A close-up of tam sua with lots of rice vermicelli, red chilies, tomatoes, etc.

Papaya fruit

An unripe green papaya is a key ingredient in any green papaya salad. This fruit grows on papaya trees and is only found in tropical regions.

Papaya fruit can be eaten ripe and unripe. The fruit is orange, soft, juicy, and very sweet-tasting when it’s fully ripe. We’re going to use a green, unripe papaya for this recipe.

People that don’t live in a tropical country can purchase them in at Asian markets or Asian grocery stores. Try to find ones that are firm and have a dark green color. After purchasing, make sure to store them in your refrigerator.

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

I’m so grateful to be living back in Thailand when it comes to fruit! My mother has a lot of papaya trees growing in her backyard! My husband and I have one in front of our small house as well, and it grows the most beautiful papaya fruits I have ever seen.

Papaya salad variations

Thai papaya salad comes in a variety of different versions. Here is a short explanation of the most common types, so you can find out which one suits you best.

Som tam poo pla ra

Poo pla ra is my favorite variation, it’s extremely popular in Isan, which is my place of birth. Crab and fermented fish sauce are the main ingredients. This variation of Thai papaya salad has a rather pungent flavor. Take a look at my recipe for som tam pla ra, which is a version without the crabs.

During the rainy season, crabs can be seen everywhere in Isan. Even while walking the streets in rural areas, you will sometimes see a crab pass by! Elder Thai people love to go into the rice fields, catch some crab and throw them into their mortar and pestle to make som tam poo pla ra.

Som tam pla ra in a white plate with fresh vegetables and a mortar and pestle in the background.

Som tam pha

A very versatile salad that needs a lot of ingredients. Pickled vegetables, freshwater snails, bamboo, bean sprouts, … everything is combined with rice vermicelli. This is a great choice for those who love the flavors of authentic Thai cuisine.

Som tam Thai

Som tam Thai is a loved-by-everyone version of som tam. It’s a milder version of the salad, making it perfect for anyone who is new to Thai flavors. When foreigners travel to Thailand and order green papaya salad, they will most likely be recommended this variation.

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.

In this recipe, you will learn how to make som tam sua. It is similar to poo pla ra, but without the crabs and with rice vermicelli.

How to peel and shred papaya

When Thai people make papaya salad, we always use little shreds of papaya, because they are excellent at absorbing the flavors of other ingredients.

The proper tools to use when peeling and slicing a papaya are a vegetable peeler and a sharp knife.

Remove the papaya skin using the vegetable peeler. A sharp vegetable peeler should make the skin come off easily. Use your knife to cut off the tougher parts at both sides of the fruit.

Chop into the papaya with your knife, making small incisions. Hold the knife in your dominant hand and chop while slowly rotating the papaya with your other hand. Hold firmly. It is best to start slowly if this is something you have never done before.

Next, use the knife to slice off the layers. You can use these finely cut green papaya shreds to make your salad.

3 Instructional images showing how to peel and shred green papaya over a wooden cutting board with a vegetable peeler and sharp knife.

Tip: Use a cutting board for safety.

Ingredients

Rice vermicelli
Green papaya
Fermented fish sauce
Fish sauce
Tamarind paste
Palm sugar
Tomatoes
Bean sprouts
Lime
Chilies
Garlic
Culantro

Step-by-step instructions

Time needed: 15 minutes.

Making tam sua is easy. There is no cooking involved because it is made by pounding all the ingredients in a mortar and pestle. The most time-consuming step is the prep of the ingredients.

Chop culantro leaves in small strips, cut the lime in 4, and the tomatoes in ±4 pieces according to their size.
Peel and shred the green papaya in thin slices.
Pound garlic and chilies in a mortar and pestle until slightly crushed.
Add fish sauce, fermented fish sauce, tamarind paste & palm sugar. Mash with the pestle until all ingredients blend together.
Squeeze lime juice into the mortar and toss in the peels.
Add tomatoes and gently mix them with the other ingredients.
Add papaya shred and again mix everything. Make sure that all papaya slices absorb the other ingredients.
Add rice vermicelli and gently mix with the other ingredients, use a spoon to help you.
Add culantro and bean sprouts. Gently mix everything together one last time. Serve immediately.

How to serve

Tam sua is often served as a side-dish with other meals or other side-dishes.

In Isan, we love having grilled chicken for lunch with any kind of spicy som tam salad.

As a main-dish, I recommend eating it with sticky rice and lots of fresh raw vegetables. Yardlong beans, Thai eggplants, lettuce,…

Tam sua on top of a banana leaf, above it are a few yellow tomatoes and a small mortar and pestle.

How to store

This salad is best eaten immediately after making it. Otherwise, the papaya shreds and the vermicelli noodles will sag.

More Thai salads that you’ll love

Grilled beef salad (incredibly flavorful northeastern Thai salad)
Authentic pork larb (a delicious salad that consists of flavored ground pork)
Or take a look at all my salads here.

Thank you for taking the time to read my tam sua recipe! By giving it a star rating and adding a comment underneath, you would do me a HUGE favor. Don’t forget to join up for my newsletter if you want to be updated on the latest Thai food.

Tam sua on a banana leaf and a bamboo place mat.

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5 from 1 vote