Spicy Thai Papaya Salad (aka "Som Thom")

Good afternoon everyone. What a beautiful day today is!  There is so much to do, so little time.  My sister decided to come over to walk up 39 flights of stairs.  We went up to the top and back down.  You might think we are crazy but we went back up again.  Needless to say we ended taking the elevator down.  

By now it was lunch time and we were starving. I rummaged through refrigerator and to my delight a green papaya was sitting there staring at me. Now I know what I'm going to make for lunch - spicy papaya salad.  I served it as a side dish to my left over grilled swordfish and brown rice.  Thank goodness I always keep at least one papaya, tomatoes, limes in the refrigerator in case I have a craving for something spicy.

Spicy papaya salad goes well with fish, bake chicken, or ribs and the best part is you can make it as spicy as you like (or not). This is a good get-together meal with friends.

Spicy Thai Papaya Salad, aka, "Som Thom" 

Total Time: 8 mins

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 3 mins

Yield: 4 to 5 serving

Level: Easy 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of julienne green papaya
• 1 clove of garlic 
• 3 Thai chili peppers (use less or more depending on your liking)
• 1 tablespoon of fish sauce 
• 1 tablespoon of fresh squeeze lime juice 
• 1 teaspoon of sugar or honey
• 1 teaspoon of shrimp paste (optional)
• 1 medium tomato sliced
• Lettuce or cabbage (optional)

Directions:

1.  Wash the lettuce or cabbage and let them sit out to dry (if you are planning on having them with the papaya salad). 
2. Place the garlic and Thai chili peppers in the mortar and smash them together with the pestal.
3. Place the julienned green papaya, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, shrimp paste and tomato into the mortar.
4. Gently mix the ingredients in the mortar well using the pestal and a spoon.
5. Serve with rice and/or as lettuce/cabbage wraps.

Enjoy!

- Machana