You love Thai Papaya Salad, but have you ever made Som Tum Thai at home? It’s easier than you think, especially with a Thai cooking class teacher to guide you!

LEARN FROM AN EXPERT THAI COOKING CLASS TEACHER: Feel overwhelmed about cooking Thai dishes like Som Tum Thai?

Don’t worry! A Thai cooking class instructor (aka me, Sherri! :)) will be guiding you step-by-step through all my top Thai cooking secrets to master it!

What is Som Tum Thai?

Originating from northeastern Thailand, Som Tum Thai, or Papaya Salad, is on my list of 35 popular Thai Dishes for good reason! It has the best of Thai flavors–spicy, sweet, sour, and salty—all in one bite!

Som Tum Thai, is typically made with shredded green papaya, cherry tomatoes, long beans, garlic, Thai fresh chilies, and peanuts, all tossed together in a tangy dressing made of lime juice, tamarind paste, fish sauce, and palm sugar. 

The salad is pounded lightly in a wooden mortar and pestle to combine flavors, releasing the juices and infusing every ingredient with the zesty dressing. 

Our fav way to eat Som Tum Thai is as a side dish alongside Thai Chicken Larb and sticky rice, but really it works well paired with any other main dishes that need a refreshing crunchy, zesty flavor to balance them out.

Sherri’s Story

Pictured above is when I made Som Tum at home for the first time over a decade ago! My son in the photo is now a pre-teen!

The best hair appointment of my life was when I got highlights done in my hair while learning how to make Som Tum Thai, aka Papaya Salad.

It all started when we were living in Austin, and my friend from church told me she had a Thai hairdresser who is an accountant, but loves to cut hair out of her home as a hobby. 

The only Thai people Thai Hubby and I had met in America were servers or chefs at Thai restaurants, so I couldn’t wait to get my hair done and actually carry on a conversation with a Thai person other than Thai Hubby.

We talked nonstop the whole time, especially after I found out she and her family had owned three Thai restaurants in the Austin area. 

Then we talked about our favorite Thai food to cook, and she gave me some Thai recipe ideas and told me all about the Thai herbs she grows in her backyard that made me want to live at her house.

Then after I asked her what she uses to peel her papaya for Som Tum, she was astonished I didn’t know what to use. 

Thai Hubby and I had attempted to make Som Tum once, but he shredded it old-school style using a knife to hit it in spots, and then shred it off that way, which I can’t do since I’d most likely cut off my fingers in the process.

So once my foil was in she lead me to her kitchen where she showed me how to shred the papaya for Som Tum using the special peeler, the Kom Kom Miracle Knife, which made it so much easier to use!

Then we made the Som Tum together, and she finished washing and cutting my hair.

After paying her, she sent me home with a bag full of Som Tum to give to Thai Hubby, Moo Palo sauce she made to make a pork with stewed egg Thai dish that Thai Hubby loves, fresh Thai chili peppers, cilantro root and lemongrass fresh from her backyard garden.

Since that experience, over a decade ago, I’ve definitely improved my Som Tum skills. I discovered it’s super easy to make, once you have the right tools, like a mortar and pestle, and the special peeler, the Kom Kom Miracle Knife.

So once you have those, it’s so easy even my kiddos can make Som Tum! Try it today, and let me know what you think!

Ingredient Notes

Uh-oh! Don’t have some of these ingredients? Don’t worry! Just check out the substitutions below to see how you can still make an amazing Som Tum Thai.

2–3 c. of unripe green papaya: This is the base of the salad and provides that unique crunch. Find it at your local Asian market.

2-3 garlic cloves: Adds that garlicky depth of flavor.

1–6 Thai chilies (depending on spice tolerance): For that Thai heat! Adjust based on your spice preference.

1 c. long bean or green beans cut into 2 in. pieces: Gives the salad a nice bite and adds some freshness.

Fresh lime juice from 1-2 limes: Brings the sour, tangy element that balances the dish.

1-2 tbsp. tamarind paste: Adds another level of sour flavor to the dish.

1–2 tbsp. fish sauce: Salty, savory umami, my fav sauce!

1–2 tbsp. palm sugar or brown sugar: Sweetness to balance the heat and sourness.

Handful of peanuts: Adds crunch and a nutty notes

10 cherry tomatoes, halved: Adds sweetness and a bit of juiciness.

2-3 tbsp. tiny dried shrimp (optional): For a briny, umami kick.

2–3 servings of shrimp (optional): If you want to make it a more filling dish.

Additions and Substitutions

Green Papaya substitute: If you can’t find unripe papaya, you can make my Carrot and Cucumber Som Tum! We make that more often than traditional Som Tum since where we live it’s hard to find unripe papaya.

Fish Sauce substitute:1/2 tbsp soy sauce + 1/2 tbsp vinegar of choice (except balsamic) + a pinch of salt, or coconut aminos. 

Fresh Thai Chili substitute: Fresh cayenne peppers or serrano chiles.

Palm Sugar substitute: the same amount of brown sugar.

Dried Shrimp substitute: Omit or use shrimp paste.

How to Make Som Tum Thai: Step by Step

1. Prep the Papaya: Peel the dark green skin off your unripe, green papaya. Then, using a traditional papaya shredder or a vegetable peeler, shred the papaya into shoestring-like strips. You’ll get around 2-3 cups of shredded papaya depending on the size.

Add the shredded papaya to a bowl full of ice cold water, and let it sit in the water for 10 minutes to help crisp up the papaya. 

Then drain the papaya well in a strainer, and place it on a paper towel lined plate or baking sheet to get out the rest of the water. You want to drain it really well so no extra water will take away from the flavor.

2. Prepare the Dressing: In a mortar and pestle, pound the 2-3 cloves of peeled garlic, and 1-6 fresh Thai chilies together until they form a fragrant paste. Don’t look down while pounding because a pepper seed might fly in your eye! Add the 1-2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar and squish it with the pestle until it’s incorporated into the paste.

Add the 1 c. long bean or green beans cut into 2 in. pieces, fresh lime juice from 1-2 limes, 1-2 tbsp. tamarind paste, 1–2 tbsp fish sauce. Continue to pound until the beans are slightly softened but still hold their shape.

3. Mix in the Veggies: Add the 2-3 cups of shredded papaya, 10 cherry tomatoes halved, handful of peanuts, and optional 2 tbsp. dried shrimp to the mortar. Gently pound and mix the ingredients together until the papaya is softened and everything is well combined. You don’t want to pulverize the papaya! Just gently muddle and soften it some.

4. Taste and Adjust: Add more fish sauce, lime juice, or sugar to taste. The flavor should be a perfect balance of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet.

5. Serve and Enjoy: If you’re adding shrimp, cook them briefly (about 30 seconds) in boiling water, then mix them into the salad. Serve immediately and enjoy your delicious Som Tum Thai!

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Papaya Peeling Tip: A traditional Thai papaya shredder is the best tool for the job. But if you don’t have one, you can use a vegetable peeler or a knife to shred the papaya. It won’t be exactly the same, but it’ll still taste delicious!

Use a mortar and pestle: In Thailand they traditionally use this kind of clay mortar and pestle to make Som Tum, but I don’t have that one, and like to use my large wooden mortar and pestle my Thai mother-n-law gave me.

If you only have a small mortar and pestle: Make the Thai chili, garlic and palm sugar paste in it, and add in the green beans. And then put all of it in a large mixing bowl, and use the pestle to pound the papaya as much as you can to soften it some. Or pound the papaya in batches in the small mortar.

If you don’t have a mortar and pestle at all: Add the garlic, Thai chili and palm sugar and a few tablespoons of hot water to a mini food chopper or food processor to make the paste. Or just use a knife to finely chop and mix as much as you can. Then add the paste to a large mixing bowl, and get out a rolling pin. Use the end of the rolling pin as your pestle, and follow the rest of the directions. 

Make sure to use unripe green papaya: Never make it with ripe papaya because it wouldn’t shred and wouldn’t taste the same at all. If you can’t find unripe papaya, use carrot or cucumber like I do in my Carrot and Cucumber Som Tum.

Adjusting Spice Levels: If you’re not into super spicy food, you can still enjoy Som Tum! Just leave out the Thai chilis, or start with just one.

I like spicy, but my family can’t handle it, so I usually just put in one Thai chili, and make Nam Pla Prik, aka my Thai Spicy Flavor Bomb Sauce, to add more spiciness to my serving of it.

Storage & Reheating

Fridge: Som Tum Thai is best enjoyed fresh, but you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. The papaya may soften slightly, but the flavors will still be delicious.

 Freezer: This salad doesn’t freeze well due to the fresh ingredients. Enjoy it fresh for the best experience!

Other Recipes You’ll Love

• Thai Basil Chicken Fried Rice

• Cucumber and Carrot Som Tum

• 35 Popular Thai Dishes

If you make it, I want to see! Take a pic and tag us on Instagram @thaifoodie!

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