How to make thai food: Papaya salad or Som tam

Som Tum, a famous salad dish, is a northeastern Thai dish that has a balance of four flavors: spicy, sweet, sour and salty. It is often eaten with sticky rice and fresh vegetables like cabbage and long beans.

Before Cooking•To increase or reduce spiciness, add or lessen chilies.
•Som Tum always uses a clay mortar and wooden pestle, called Krok Din. Stone mortar (Krok Hin) is not recommended.
•Som Tum is commonly accompanied by sticky rice, cabbage wedges and long beans.
•The final taste is a balance between sweet, spicy, salty, and sour. However, the specifics depend on the individual's taste preference. Some may like it spicier than others. Or some may like it more sour than others. So, add or lessen lime juice, palm sugar and fish sauce according to your preference.
•Long beans can be substituted with green beans.



Ingredients
2 cups Shredded green papaya
1/2 cup Long beans
4 Cherry tomatoes
5-10 Thai chilies
1-2 cloves Medium size garlic
1/4 cup Roasted peanuts
1/4 cup Dried baby shrimp
2 tablespoons Fish sauce
3 tablespoons Lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons Palm sugar

Preparation
1.Wash and pat dry the green papaya. Peel off the skin. Shred the green papaya using a regular cheese grater. Stop when getting closer to the core which has seeds. Do not include seeds.
2.Clean and pat dry long beans. Cut into 1" long pieces.
3.Clean and pat dry cherry tomatoes. Cut in half.
4.Peel off garlic skins. Wash and set aside.
5.Remove each chili's stem. Wash and set aside.



Directions
1.In a clay mortar, add garlic and crush it with a wooden pestle.
2.Add chilies into the mortar. Crush chilies and mix them well with the garlic. Use a spoon to help mix them together.
3.Add dried baby shrimp and continue pounding for a few times.
4.Add long beans and continue pounding for a few times, just enough to bruise the long beans.
5.Add shredded green papaya, tomatoes, peanuts, fish sauce, lime juice and palm sugar. Pound for a few times and use a spoon to help mix them together.
6.Serve on a plate. If desired, garnish with wedges of cabbage.