Som Tam (Thai Green Papaya Salad) ส้มตำ
Along with a handful of curries and a few other select Thai dishes, green papaya salad has become ubiquitous with Thai cuisine across the world.
Shredded green papaya, tomatoes, and long beans form the bulk of the salad while dried shrimp, toasted peanuts and lots of red chillies add their own unique component.
The ingredients, rather than being mixed up, are pounded using a wooden mortar and pestle so the flavors truly blend together.
There are many different kinds of som tam eaten throughout Bangkok. Here are a few of the most common types:
• Som Tam Thai ส้มตำไทย – Normal green papaya salad dressed with lime juice and fish sauce.
• Som Tam Boo ส้มตำปู – Includes small fermented crabs
• Som Tam Pla Raa ส้มตำปลาร้า – Included Thailand’s famous fermented fish
• Som Tam Hoy Dong ส้มตำหอยดอง – Included fermented oysters
Eating sticky rice with som tam is a requirement (in my opinion