GREEN PAPAYA SALAD (SOM TUM)

From Sarah Jansala, author of “Vegan Thai Kitchen”

Papaya salad, or Som Tum, is an iconic dish in Thailand, and you can find it at almost any street
stall. It has a perfect balance of sour, spicy, salty, sweet and savory flavors. Thai people eat it as
a snack or as a meal with sticky rice. For a better crunch and a fresh nutty aroma, I recommend
roasting the peanuts in your kitchen.

SERVES 4

DRESSING

• 4 Thai chiles, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp (8 g) minced garlic
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) melted palm sugar
• 4 tbsp (60 ml) lime juice
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) tamari
• 1⁄2 tsp salt

SALAD

• 13 oz (364 g) shredded green papaya

• 1 cup (110 g) shredded carrot
• 7 green beans, cut into 2" (5-cm) lengths
• 10 grape tomatoes, halved
• 3 tbsp (27 g) crushed roasted peanuts
• 2 cups (110 g) spring salad mix
• 2 tbsp (18 g) whole peanuts

To make the dressing, combine the chiles, garlic, palm sugar, lime juice, tamari and salt in a
small bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved.

To make the salad, add the green papaya, carrot, green beans, grape tomatoes, crushed peanuts
and salad dressing to a mixing bowl. Toss the mixture well until the juice comes out of the
tomatoes. Make a bed of greens on a plate and spoon the salad mixture on top. Garnish with the
whole peanuts.

T I P: If you have a mortar and pestle, pound the chiles and garlic until fine, then add the palm
sugar and mash until dissolved. Add the green beans and pound until broken, then add the
tomatoes and mash until the juice comes out. Add the tamari, lime juice and salt and stir until
mixed well, then add the green papaya and toss to combine.