Asia After Dark June 2017 | Page 37

Among the tom yam goong, pad Thai, green, and yellow and red curries, som tam (papaya salad) sits right up there on the list of top Thai culinary treasures. The dish, originally from the northeast, has become ubiquitous in Thai restaurants from London to Sydney and is today found in pretty much any Bangkok Thai restaurant (there' s even a song dedicated to it). Fragrant, spicy and packing a real kick, som tam is eaten any time of the day. How to Make Som Tam (Papaya Salad) P eel and seed papaya and shred it. Put in a bowl. Crush garlic with a pestle, then add long beans and tom atoes and pound a few tim es to release juices. Add the chillies and crush lightly to release the heat. In a separate cup dissolve the sugar in Ingredients Sm all green raw papaya, shredded t he lim e juice and fish sauce. Mix all ingredients together now and toss to m ix. Serve in a shallow 4 chopped long beans bowl and top with garnish. 8 cherry tom atoes cut into quarters m ortar and pestle for the salad. 6 cloves garlic (or 1/4 pod) Rem em ber: Do not blend but use 6 red or green chilly Do not add salt, the fish sauce or 2 Tbsp palm sugar (or 1 Tbsp regular sugar) 3 Tbsp lim e juice 2 Tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce 3 Tbsp ground roasted peanuts Fresh lettuce, green beans, lim e wedges and chilly for garnish soy sauce has enough salt. Taste once m ixed and add any ingredient to taste ..this one is supposed to be deadly spicy.