Som Tum

also called som tam · som tum thai · som tam thai · green papaya salad · papaya salad · tam mak hoong

The table

2 clovesgarlicpound to a rough pastebruise instir inbruise in 2 minturn out
3(stemmed)Thai chiles
1/4 tspkosher salt
3(cut in 1-in lengths)long beans
6(halved)cherry tomatoes
1 Tbs(shaved)palm sugar
2 Tbsfish sauce
2 Tbslime juice
1 Tbsdried shrimp
3 cups(shredded long and thin; about half a small unripe one)green papaya
2 Tbs(coarsely crushed)roasted peanuts
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.12 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1pound to a rough paste

2bruise in

goes in with what step 1 made

3stir in

goes in with what step 2 made

4bruise in 2 min

goes in with what step 3 made

5turn out

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 2 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
2 minof the steps that give a time

4 of the 5 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 20 min.

  1. pound to a rough paste

    not timedfrom the start

  2. bruise in

    not timedfrom the start

  3. stir in

    not timedfrom the start

  4. bruise in 2 min

    2 minneeds youfrom the start

  5. turn out

    not timed2 min in

You'll need mortar

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Som Tum
>> category: Salads
>> tags: papaya, thai, salad, chiles, no-cook
>> counters: Thai Kitchen
>> aka: som tam, som tum thai, som tam thai, green papaya salad, papaya salad, tam mak hoong
>> servings: 2
>> time: 20 min
>> step.1: pound to a rough paste
>> step.2: bruise in
>> step.3: stir in
>> step.4: bruise in 2 min
>> step.5: turn out

Pound @garlic{2%cloves}, @Thai chiles{3}(stemmed) and @kosher salt{1/4%tsp} to a rough paste in a tall clay #mortar{}. Three chiles is a tourist's plate and ten is a Thai one; this is the number the woman at the mortar changes when you tell her how you want it.

Bruise @long beans{3}(cut in 1-in lengths) and @cherry tomatoes{6}(halved) into @&(~1)paste{} — a few strokes each, cracking them rather than crushing them.

Stir @palm sugar{1%Tbs}(shaved), @fish sauce{2%Tbs}, @lime juice{2%Tbs} and @dried shrimp{1%Tbs} into @&(~1)mortar{} until the sugar dissolves. This is som tum Thai, the peanut-and-dried-shrimp version; the Lao one swaps the shrimp for fermented fish and is much funkier.

Bruise @green papaya{3%cups}(shredded long and thin; about half a small unripe one) into @&(~1)dressing{} for ~toss{2%min}, one hand pounding and the other turning it over with a spoon, until every strand is wet but the papaya still snaps.

Turn @&(~1)salad{} out onto a plate with @roasted peanuts{2%Tbs}(coarsely crushed). It is made one plate at a time, in front of you, and it does not keep — a batch of it in a bowl is a different, sadder dish an hour later.