Umami Thai Green Papaya Salad (Som Tum Pla Ra)
A type of green papaya salad that we call tum pla ra or tum lao. With the addition of pla ra fermented fish sauce, it's got an extra depth of flavour that you've got to try!
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1-3 Thai chilies, to taste, fresh and/or dried
- 1 ½ tablespoon palm sugar, finely chopped, packed
- 2 long beans
- 1 medium tomato, cut into wedges, or sub ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
- 1 ½ Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 Tablespoons tamarind paste , or sub ½ tablespoon more lime juice
- 1 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 Tablespoons pla ra fermented fish sauce, read more about pla ra in the blog post
- ⅛ teaspoon MSG, optional
- 1 ½ cups julienned green papaya
- ⅓ cup julienned carrots
- 2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds, toasted
- For serving: sticky rice, crispy pork rind, and/or Vietnamese style rice vermicelli
Instructions
Mortar and Pestle Method (it’s best to watch the video to see how this works)
- In mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and chilies into a paste. Add the palm sugar and pound until the sugar is dissolved into the paste.2 cloves garlic, 1-3 Thai chilies, 1 ½ tablespoon palm sugar
- Cut the long beans in 2-inch pieces, then add to the mortar and pound until the beans are broken, then add the tomatoes and pound gently to smash and release the tomato juices. Use a large serving spoon to scrape the bottom of the mortar and mix the sugar and garlic with the vegetables.2 long beans, 1 medium tomato
- Add the lime juice, tamarind paste, fish sauce, pla ra and MSG (if using) and use the spoon to mix the dressing together. Taste the dressing and feel free to adjust the seasoning to taste at this point. Note: If your mortar and pestle is too small for the amount of papaya you have, transfer everything into a mixing bowl and continue using the “hand massage” method as described in step 5 in the section below.1 ½ Tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1 Tablespoons tamarind paste, 1 Tablespoons fish sauce, 1 Tablespoons pla ra fermented fish sauce, ⅛ teaspoon MSG
- Add the papaya and carrots to the mortar, pound a few times, then use the spoon to “flip” the papaya and distribute the dressing. Pound a few more times and flip again, then repeat the pound-and-slip a couple more times until the papaya is wilted slightly and the dressing is thoroughly mixed.1 ½ cups julienned green papaya, ⅓ cup julienned carrots
- Plate and top with the pumpkin seeds. Serve with sticky rice and crispy pork rind, if desired.2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds, For serving: sticky rice, crispy pork rind, and/or Vietnamese style rice vermicelli
Hand Massage Method (It’s best to watch the video to see how this works)
- Chop your palm sugar as finely as possible, then add into a small mixing bowl. Add the fish sauce and lime juice and stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved; there will be some lumps left, leave them for now.1 ½ tablespoon palm sugar, 1 Tablespoons fish sauce, 1 ½ Tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Grate the garlic using a microplane into a large mixing bowl, or press it using a garlic press. Finely mince the chilies and add them to the garlic.2 cloves garlic, 1-3 Thai chilies
- Place the whole long beans on a cutting board, and smash them until they split open using whatever you have that works, such as a wooden spoon or a rolling pin. Cut into 2-inch pieces and add to the garlic bowl, then add the tomatoes.2 long beans
- Back to the dressing, give it a good stir one more time, and if there are any lumps remaining, use the back of a spoon to smash them against the side of the bowl and they should dissolve easily. Add the tamarind, pla ra, and MSG (if using).1 Tablespoons tamarind paste, 1 Tablespoons pla ra fermented fish sauce, ⅛ teaspoon MSG
- Using a gloved hand, massage the beans and tomatoes mixture to smash and release the tomato juices into the bowl, and mix with the garlic and chilies. Add the dressing and use your hand to massage everything together well.
- Add the papaya and carrots to the mixing bowl and hand massage everything to mix and wilt the papaya.1 ½ cups julienned green papaya, ⅓ cup julienned carrots
- Plate and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds and serve with sticky rice and/or crispy pork rind, if desired.2 Tablespoons pumpkin seeds
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