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| This healthy mixture of raw vegetables is now prepared by roadside vendors all over the county. Som tam captures the essential flavors of Thailand: chili hot, redolent with garlic and fish sauce, and sour with lime juice. |
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| Ingredient |
| 5 tablespoons oil |
| 1 cake pressed bean curd, diced |
| 5 cloves garlic, minced |
| 5 shallot, minced |
| 1 tablespoon dried shrimps or prawns |
| 1 tablespoon chopped pickled Chinese radish |
| 10 oz (300 g) dried rice-stick noodles, soaked in warm water to soften |
| 1 tablespoon dried chili flakes or ground red pepper |
| 3 eggs |
| 2 cups bean sprouts, cleaned |
| 1/4 cup garlic chives or spring oinons, sliced into 1-in (2 cm) lengths |
| 2 tablespoons crushed peanuts |
| 5 oz (150 g) fresh prawns or shrimps, peeled and deveined, and grilled |
Sauce |
| 3 tablespoons shaved palm sugar |
| 3 tablespoons fish sauce |
| 3 tablespoons tamarind pulp soaked in 1/2 cup water, then strained to remove seed and fibers |
| Preparation |
| Take the chilies, peanuts, dried shrimp and garlic and pound roughly in a mortar and pestle or process very briefly in a blender. The mixture should be coarse, not smooth. |
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Combine mixture in a bowl with the shredded papaya, bean and tomato. Mix well and add the lime juice, palm sugar and fish sauce. |
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Serve accompanied by other row vegetables (cabbage, water spinach, broccoli or asparagus) and and sprigs of Thai basil. For a complete meal, add glutinous rice and Barbecued Chicken. |
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Prepare the salad immediately before serving, otherwise the papaya will lose it firm texture. |
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Hot or Mild upon to taste
Serve 4-6
Preparation and cooking time: 30 minutes |
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