how to make Som Tam Thai with Crab (Som Tam Poo):

Ingredients:

 Protein:
o ½ cup cooked and flaked crab meat (blue crab or swimming crab meat
works well)
 Aromatics:
o 2 cloves garlic, minced
o 2-4 Thai chilies (depending on your spice preference), thinly sliced (bird's
eye chilies for more heat, red chilies for milder flavor)
 Salad Base:
o 1 green papaya (unripe), peeled and julienned (or shredded using a grater
or mandoline slicer)
o 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
o ½ cup green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (optional)
o ½ cup long green pepper, cut into strips (optional)
o ¼ cup roasted peanuts
 Seasoning:
o 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or brown sugar)
o 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce (omit for vegan option)
o 1 tablespoon lime juice
o ½ teaspoon shrimp paste (optional)
o Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Prepare the aromatics: Mince the garlic and thinly slice the chilies.
2. Grind or pound the aromatics (optional): Traditionally, a mortar and pestle is
used to grind or pound the ingredients in Som Tam. However, you can achieve a
similar result by finely mincing everything or using a food processor with a pulse
function (be careful not to over-process).
o In a mortar and pestle: Add the garlic, chilies, and shrimp paste (if using)
to the mortar. Grind or pound with the pestle until fragrant and the chilies
release their oils.
3. Prepare the salad base: Peel the green papaya and julienne it (or shred using a
preferred method). Halve the cherry tomatoes. Cut the green beans and long
green pepper (if using) into bite-sized strips. Roughly chop the roasted peanuts.
4. Combine and season: In a large bowl, combine the julienned green papaya,
cherry tomatoes, green beans (if using), long green pepper (if using), roasted
peanuts, and cooked and flaked crab meat. Add the ground or pounded
aromatics (or finely minced ingredients), palm sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice.
5. Toss and adjust flavors: Using a spoon or your hands (wearing gloves for spice
protection if using), toss the salad ingredients together until well combined. Taste
and adjust the seasonings as needed - add more fish sauce for saltiness, lime
juice for sourness, or palm sugar for sweetness.
 6. Serve: Transfer the Som Tam Poo to a plate and enjoy immediately. Som Tam is
traditionally served with sticky rice.

Tips:

 Use a mortar and pestle for the most authentic flavor and texture, but a food
processor or finely mincing the ingredients works too.
 Adjust the amount of chilies according to your spice preference.
 Som Tam is best enjoyed fresh, as the green papaya can soften over time.
 You can find pre-shredded green papaya at some Asian grocery stores.
 For a vegan option, omit the fish sauce and shrimp paste.

Additional Notes:

 You can use salted or fermented crab meat for a stronger seafood flavor.
However, these options may be saltier so adjust the fish sauce accordingly.
 Some recipes might call for soaking the green papaya in cold water for 10-15
minutes after shredding to remove some of the starch and bitterness. This is
optional but can affect the texture slightly.
 Enjoy the delicious combination of sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavors with the
fresh crab meat in this Som Tam Poo!