Som Tum
Green papaya, thai bird's eye chili and cherry tomatoes come together in this Thai seafood β 60 minutes, 6 steps, and the kind of result worth repeating. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 6 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for grill / broiler. At medium difficulty across 6 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's pescatarian β fish but no meat.
What you'll need
Shopping list (7)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
π Unit converter
How to make it
- Peel the green papaya, then shred it into long thin matchsticks with a grater or knife and chill in cold water while you prepare the rest.
- Pound the garlic and chilies in a large mortar to a rough paste, then add the dried shrimp and snapped beans and bruise them lightly so they soften but stay intact.
- Add the palm sugar and pound until it dissolves, then mix in the fish sauce and the juice of both limes, tasting for a sharp, salty, sweet and spicy balance.
- Drain the papaya well, add it to the mortar with the halved tomatoes, and pound gently while turning with a spoon so the dressing works into the strands without crushing them to mush.
- Fold in most of the peanuts, then taste and adjust lime, fish sauce or sugar as needed.
- Pile onto a plate, scatter over the remaining peanuts, and serve immediately while crunchy alongside sticky rice or grilled meat.
You'll use: Grill / broiler
Ingredient substitutions
- Lime
- lemon
- Fish Sauce
- soy sauce + a pinch of salt
What to serve with Som Tum
- Pad See Ew Chicken
- Thai Green Curry Chicken
- Massaman Beef curry Beef
- Panang chicken curry (kaeng panang gai) Chicken
Tips & common questions
How long does Som Tum take to make?
About 60 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 6 steps and 10 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of lime?
Try lemon. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
How should I store leftovers?
Cool leftovers quickly, refrigerate in an airtight container, and eat within 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout.
Related recipes
Som Tum is an original Thai recipe developed in-house by Consomee. Photo: Som Tam green papaya salad, Bangkok, Thailand.jpg by Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure on top β how we source recipes.