How To Cook Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum Thai)

Green papaya salad is one of Thailand’s most iconic dishes, known for its bold balance of spicy, sour, salty, and sweet flavors. This classic version uses mortar-and-pestle pounding to release juices and blend the dressing perfectly. Serve it alongside sticky rice or grilled chicken for a refreshing and satisfying meal.

Ingredients

Salad

1 ½ cups green papaya, julienned
3 long beans, cut into 2-inch pieces
½ cup grape tomatoes, halved
3 Tbsp roasted peanuts
1 heaping Tbsp dried shrimp

Dressing

2 cloves garlic
Thai chilies, to taste (1–3 recommended for beginners)
1 ½ Tbsp palm sugar (finely chopped)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp tamarind paste
1 ½ Tbsp fish sauce

Equipment

Mortar and pestle (large, wooden pestle preferred)
Chef’s knife & cutting board
Mixing spoon
Bowl (optional for serving)

Warning

Warning
Be cautious when pounding ingredients. Keep fingers away from the mortar’s edge to avoid injury. Also, Thai chilies can irritate eyes and skin—avoid touching your face and wash hands thoroughly after handling.

Steps

Soak the julienned papaya in ice water for 15 minutes, then drain and pat completely dry.
This keeps the papaya extra crisp and prevents watery dressing.
Pound garlic and chilies in a mortar until roughly crushed.
Mash palm sugar into the mixture until dissolved into a paste.
The sugar must dissolve well to balance the flavor.
Add long beans and lightly pound just enough to break them.
Add peanuts and dried shrimp, pounding a few times to crush the peanuts.
Pour in fish sauce, tamarind paste, and lime juice, stirring to combine.
Add papaya and tomatoes, then use the pound-and-flip technique: pound a few times, scoop from bottom to top, and repeat 4–5 times.
Taste and adjust seasoning, add lime for sour, sugar for sweet, or fish sauce for salty.
Serve immediately and sprinkle extra peanuts on top if desired.