Som Tam Green Papaya Salad with Grilled Shrimp
Shredded green papaya pounded with lime, chili, and fish sauce in the classic Thai style, topped with grilled shrimp.
Som tam is traditionally made with a mortar and pestle, bruising the papaya, chilies, and green beans together so they take on the dressing rather than just sitting in it. You don't strictly need the mortar — a good bowl and some vigorous tossing gets you most of the way there — but if you have one, use it.
Unripe green papaya is mostly water and fiber with very little sugar, which is what makes this salad so light, and topping it with grilled shrimp turns it from a side dish into a full low-carb meal with real protein. The lime and chili dressing is doing all the work here, so there's no need for added oil.
Taste as you go before adding the full amount of fish sauce and chili — the balance of sour, salty, sweet, and hot is very much a matter of personal preference.
Ingredients
- 4 cups green papaya — peeled and shredded
- 1 cup green beans — cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes — halved
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 Thai chilies — or to taste
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 0.25 cup roasted peanuts — chopped
- 1 lb shrimp — peeled, deveined, and grilled
These ingredients are common at South Asian grocers; a well-stocked international supermarket usually carries them too.
Instructions
- 1In a large mortar or bowl, pound or mash the garlic and chilies with a spoon until fragrant.
- 2Add the green beans and tomatoes and lightly bruise them, then add the lime juice, fish sauce, and brown sugar.
- 3Add the shredded papaya and toss well, pressing the dressing into the papaya as you mix.
- 4Grill or sear the shrimp 2-3 minutes per side until pink and opaque.
- 5Divide the salad among plates, top with grilled shrimp, and sprinkle with chopped peanuts.