Papaya Salad Som Tam Recipes

Steps:

• Cut off both ends of papaya. Use a vegetable peeler to remove green skin. To shred the papaya, hold it in one hand and use a knife to rapidly chop long, shallow cuts into the surface (making sure all the cuts run lengthwise, in the same direction). Then, thinly slice off the top layer into a bowl. This Thai method of shredding results in papaya strands that are pleasingly irregular and rustic. (Once you get the hang of it, it gets easier and you'll get much faster, but another option is to use a peeler with a shredding blade.) Shred ⅓-½ of the papaya, about 2 loosely packed cups; make sure there are no seeds.(Reserve the rest of the papaya for a different use, or for additional servings of papaya salad.)
• Salad: Place the clay mortar on a towel to keep it stable. To the mortar, add garlic, chiles, and softened palm sugar. Using a long spoon (to mix) and the pestle (to pound), pound and mix the chiles and garlic to break them up, about 10 seconds. Add two quartered pieces of Key lime, and continue pounding and mixing just enough to release juices, 10 seconds. (From this point on, pound lightly to bruise the ingredients and release flavors; do not smash.) Add shrimp; pound lightly, then mix for 5 seconds.
• Trim the long beans and slice into 2½-inch pieces; you should have about ¼ cup of long beans. Add to the mortar; pound lightly to bruise, then mix for 5 more seconds. Add papaya, fish sauce, tamarind water, and lime juice. (To make tamarind water from tamarind pulp: boil 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp; let cool for 30 minutes; strain.) Use the pestle to lightly pound the salad to the bottom of the mortar, and the spoon to turn the salad over, about 1 minute. Add halved cherry tomatoes, lightly pound, then mix, 10 seconds; add peanuts and toss with the spoon. (Do not pound the peanuts, as they will release oil and make the salad greasy).
• Serve: Place cabbage wedge on the edge of a serving platter. Arrange papaya salad on platter and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Combine chilies, garlic and shallots. Grind and pound with a mortar and pestle until broken down, but not mushy. Using a spoon, scrape down sides and mix well. Add papaya, pound until the stiff shreds become limp and soft (about 3 minutes). Using a spoon, scrape and turn the mixture. Add beans and pound to bruise them. Add sugar, salt and fish sauce one at a time, pounding a little after each addition. Squeeze in the juice from each section of lime, then add the lime pieces to the mortar as well. Add tomato, pound another minute, turning mixture as before. Taste sauce and adjust seasonings, which should be a mixture of sour, hot, salty and sweet. Using a slotted spoon, transfer salad to a small platter. Drizzle on some remaining sauce and serve with sticky rice.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place peanuts on a baking sheet.
• Toast in the preheated oven until fragrant and browned, 7 to 8 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• Grind roasted peanuts, Thai chilies, garlic, dried shrimp, and sugar in a mortar and pestle or food processor. Stir in lime juice and fish sauce to make dressing.
• Toss papaya, tomatoes, green beans, and carrot with dressing. Season with salt and pepper.