Raw Papaya Salad

Raw Papaya Salad.

Som tam is a spicy salad made with shredded unripened papaya. Here green papaya is thinly shredded into long strips. Fresh red chiles and garlic cloves are crushed using a pestle. Then other ingredients are lightly mashed followed by shredded papaya.
Makes: around 2 Servings of Raw Papaya Salad.

Ingredients:

• Green Papaya 1/4 Piece
• Fresh Red Chiles 1 – 2
• Garlic 2 Cloves
• Tomato 1 Small
• Dark Soy Sauce 1/2 tsp
• Lemon Juice 1 tsp
• Crushed Roasted Peanuts 1 tbsp
• Brown Sugar or Jaggery 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

Method of preparation:

Peel and wash the green papaya.
Use a julienne peeler to thinly shred the papaya (around 2 cups).
Wash and finely chop the tomato.
Peel the garlic cloves.
Remove stems and wash the green chiles.

Using a mortar and pestle, first crush the garlic and fresh red chiles together into paste by adding enough salt.
Then stir in tomatoes and mash them a little.
Stir in lemon juice, soy sauce, roasted peanuts, shredded papaya and salt.
Lightly mash and mix all the ingredients together.
Taste and adjust the seasonings if required.
Serve green papaya salad immediately.
Notes: If you can not crush the garlic with a pestle, use a grinder to grind them together and mix with all other ingredients.

Suggestions: Adjust the amount of spice or sweetness with red chile and sugar.
Variations: Shredded carrots, mango, yard long beans or cucumber can also be added. Add tamarind pulp or vinegar for sourness if you wish. Use slightly ripe papaya to avoid adding sugar. Add some herbs like basil for color.
Other Names: Raw Papaya Salad, Som Tam, Som Tum, Green Papaya Salad.