Summer is coming in HOT! Thankfully, this Thai Papaya Salad recipe is here to cool you down.
Papaya Salad–also known as Som Tum–is a famous traditional Thai salad, and it is delicious! It's a little sweet, a little spicy, a little tart, super refreshing, and addicting!
Traditionally the recipe is made with green papaya–unlike the kind that you'd peel and eat as fruit. The reason the papaya is green is simply because of its state of ripeness. It's literally just an unripe papaya, so if your local supermarket sells papaya, grab the most unripe fruit in the bin, and you'll be just fine!
Serve as a side dish or eat as a meal with white rice and extra beef jerky!
The Process
This recipe begins by making a fish sauce caramel to be incorporated into the final dressing. To make the caramel combine fish sauce and brown sugar in a pan and cook over medium-low heat until slightly thickened. Set aside and let cool.
Once cool, combine the fish sauce caramel, lime juice, garlic, and jalapeno in a food processor and process until smooth. Reserve for later, as is your papaya salad dressing!
In a large mixing bowl, combine papaya, carrots, green beans, and dressing. Mix the salad using your hands to bruise the vegetables and infuse the flavor of the dressing. Add in the peanuts, tomatoes, and jerky, and lightly toss to combine.
Plate salad in a bowl and garnish with more peanuts and jerky. Enjoy!
