Som Tum -Papaya salad

Som tum Thai

       This is the number one of E-sann(Northeatsen)food “Som-tum” (Papaya salad). We almost call this dish the nation’s food of Thailand. That’s because they have it to sell everywhere and everyone loves it!! The ingredients of Som-Tum is young papaya, chili, sherry tomato, lime juice, fish sauce and different ingredients depend on what people tastes, but  some add nut,  sugar, shrimp we call som-tum Thai.  Some add fermented rice pattern crab call Som-tum poo. The top chart is Som-tum pra-rha. Pra-rha is fermented fish with rice salt, some people add garlic depending on the recipe. It smells very strong and even some Thai folk cannot handle it(one of them is my dad).  Also some people use carrot, cucumber, long bean or fruit like apple, grape instead of papaya.  They just call Som-tum first word and follow with that ingredient  Ex. Som-tum Pon la mai (Som-tum fruit salad). 

        In this blog I started with the original Som Tum Thai Recipe and continued the next blog with modern Thai food style Som tum Thai recipe.  Later on (after you get to use Thai food more) I will add more Som Tum recipes for you one bit at a time.

 Som Tum Thai : Original recipe

Ingredients

1 medium carrot chopped

1 hand full chopped green papaya

1 long bean cut into 1 inch.

2-3 cherry tomatoes cut in half

2-3 globes of garlic

1-1 ½ lime juice

1-2 tbsp. fish sauce

1-2 tsp. Sugar

3 tbsp. peanut

3 tbsp. dried shrimp ( if you cannot find it don’t worry about it)

1-7 Thai chili (depends on your spicy level)

Cooking Instructions :  Original recipe 

Original Som tum has to use the tool that’s called “Krok and  Sahk” or mortar and pestle.  

Krok and Sahk

It’s the best way to make it, because it makes the ingredients mix well and Som-Tum juicy,  but if you don’t have one I have the way you can enjoy Som-tum without it in the next blog Som Tum Modern Thai Food style.

1. In the mortar put garlic and Thai chili and pound with pestle together about 5-8 times
2. Add 1 tbsp. peanut, 1 tbsp. dried shrimp  pound it 2-3 times until it brakes
3. Add lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and mix it well
4. Add carrot and green papaya, pound 2-3 times and tomatoes pound and mix it together.
5. Pour Som-tum on serving plate, garnish with remaining peanut and dried shrimp.

Note : you can use carrot or cucumber instead of papaya.

And next time I will show you how to make Som Tum with out mortar and pastle.

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