Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad)

Folks in the northeastern areas may call it som tam thai to distinguish it from the som tam in which pla ra is an ingredient. Central Thai som tam often has dried shrimps and peanuts. som tam isaan or sometimes known as som tam laaw may not need shrimps and definitely no peanuts. Isaan som tam (northern style) tastes more sour and salty while the Thai som tam more sweet. Both should be hot.The picture to the left is Som Tam at a restaurant in Thailand. This version was incredibly hot and spicy! It is made with julienne strips of green papaya, prik ki nu (fiery Thai chiles), kratieum (garlic), raw crab, prik chi fa daeng (Thail jalapeño chiles), nam pla (fish sauce), long beans, Nam Manao (lime juice), and ma kua teet (tomato).-clay

Watch this great video about making Som Tam from Enjoy Thai Food.
About 2 cups shredded green papaya

2 tablespoon fish sauce

1 ½ tablespoon palm sugar, if not available can substitute it with regular sugar

3 tablespoon lime juice

½ cups tomato, wedged

1/3 cup dried shrimp

¼ cup peanuts10 green chilli5 cloves garlic

Use motar and prestle to crush the chilli and garlic, add shrimps, continue crushing, add sugar, continue beating with the prestle, add the papaya, beat, beat, beat, add fish sauce, beat, beat, add lime juice, still beat, beat, beat, add tomato, beat, beat, beat, add peanuts, beat, beat,,... you may need to add either sugar, fish sauce, or lime. The final taste on the balance between sweet, (pepper) hot, salty, and sour. Serve with vegetables (cabbage, sting bean, napa,..) Many northern or northeastern Thais like to eat it with sticky rice.