Look for less common ingredients like dried shrimp and Thai fish sauce at your local Asian supermarket.
Because they’re so hard, the peanuts are the one exception and may need to be chopped if you’re not using a mortar and pestle. Authentic som tam is often made entirely in the same mortar.
Try not to crush the dry components until they’re too fine. A coarse, pulpy texture is what you’re after. If you want to save time, or you’d prefer a more even consistency, you can pulse the dry ingredients a few times in a food processor until they’re the right size.
The flavors of the aromatics will begin to mingle as they rest.
Look over the papaya closely before you buy it. It should be a deep green color on the outside and be firm to the touch, with very little give. If you’re using fresh, whole papaya, it will need to be seeded before it’s shredded. You can also shred the papaya with an ordinary kitchen grater, although the pieces may be slightly smaller and thinner. [5] X Research source
The papaya should make up the bulk of the salad, with the rest of the vegetables there to supplement the flavor and texture.
Add the fish sauce to taste. It has a very unique flavor profile that works best when balanced by other flavors, and can easily become overpowering if you use too much.
Papaya salad refrigerates well and will stay fresh for up to 3 days, though the acids in the dressing may cause it to soften up somewhat. This recipe makes between 3-4 servings.
When substituting other vegetables for papaya, make sure you buy them before they’re fully ripe so that they’ll be firm. Mild melons like cantaloupe can also work as a tasty replacement.
Other salty condiments like soy sauce are not recommended, as they’ll throw off the flavors of the salad.
Play around with the amount of sugar that goes into the dressing if you want to offset the spice of the chilies.
Top the salad with fresh grilled shrimp, beef or chicken rather than dried shrimp for a heartier meal version of som tam. [12] X Research source
