Green papaya salad(ຕໍາໝາກຫຸ່ງ tam mak hung) is a Lao dish of pounded raw, unripe papaya with sweet, spicy, sour, and salty flavor. The peeled papaya is cut into thin strips and tossed in a mortar with a base of pounded garlic, chili, salt, sugar, and lime juice. Crushed peanuts and tomato are nice additions.

The Lao term tam som(ຕໍາສົ້ມ) is a general term referring to dishes to the pounding technique using a mortar and pestle. Tam som may refer to green papaya salad or salads with other ingredients, such as long bean or unripe banana.

Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 clove garlic
• 1 shallot, sliced (optional)
• 2 bird eye chili
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp palm sugar or unrefined brown sugar
• ½ unripe papaya, peeled and shredded, seeds discarded
• 1 tomato, chopped (optional)
• 1 lime juice or tamarind water
• 2 tbsp peanut, roasted and crushed (optional)

Method

• pound garlic, shallot, chili, salt, palm sugar
• add papaya, tomato, lime juice, peanut
• mix well
• serve