March is just around the corner, and as the temperatures continue to climb, a refreshing way to beat the heat is with Som Tam.
Som Tam, is a famous dish from Isaan, popular all over Thailand and also known as 'Green Papaya Salad'.
I have encountered, and enjoyed, Som Tam in very posh restaurants and as a staple fare of street food. It is always exciting, refreshing, and absolutely delicious, with as many minor variations as there are Thai cooks. Of course I personally enjoy eating spicy dishes. One minor complaint is when the flavor from the amount of chiles used so dominates this classic dish that the other ingredients cannot be discerned.
Basic ingredients:
chillies
garlic
small dried shrimp
unripe papaya
long beans
tamarind concentrate
lime juice
fish sauce
palm sugar,
cherry tomatoes,
unsalted roasted peanuts
cucumber garnish
.
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