Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad)

Name: Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad)
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thailand
Ingredients: 3 cups shredded green papaya; 2 cloves garlic; 2-4 Thai chilies; 2 tbsp dried shrimp; 1/4 cup long beans, cut into pieces; 2 tomatoes, wedged; 2 tbsp palm sugar; 3 tbsp fish sauce; 3 tbsp lime juice; 1/4 cup roasted peanuts

4 servings20 min prep0 min cookEasy Thailand

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad)

Story updated September 17, 2026

Som tam, pounded green papaya salad, comes from the Isan region of northeastern Thailand and shares deep roots with neighboring Laos, where a nearly identical dish is considered a national favorite. Built on the region's Lao-influenced love of sour, spicy, funky flavors like fermented fish sauce, it later spread across all of Thailand.

Ingredients

Scale:· 4 servings

3 cups shredded green papaya
2 cloves garlic
2-4 Thai chilies
2 tbsp dried shrimp
1/4 cup long beans, cut into pieces
2 tomatoes, wedged
2 tbsp palm sugar
3 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp lime juice
1/4 cup roasted peanuts

Instructions

1Pound garlic and chilies together in a large mortar and pestle until roughly crushed.
2Add dried shrimp and long beans and lightly bruise with the pestle.
3Add tomatoes and gently pound to release their juices.
4Add palm sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice, stirring and pounding lightly to dissolve the sugar.
5Add the shredded green papaya and pound and toss with a spoon to combine well, bruising slightly to absorb the dressing.
6Top with roasted peanuts and serve immediately with sticky rice.

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