Som Tam

Ingredients

• 400 g green papaya, shredded
• 60 g green beans, cut
• 8 pieces cherry tomatoes
• 3 pieces garlic cloves
• 4 pieces birds eye chillies
• 2 tbsp dried shrimp
• 50 g roasted peanuts
• 2 tbsp palm sugar
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 3 tbsp lime juice

Steps

1. 1
   Peel the papaya and shred it into long thin strands. Keep it in iced water until needed so it stays crisp.
2. 2
   Pound the garlic and chillies in a large mortar to a rough paste. Adjust the chilli to your own tolerance — four is properly hot.
3. 3
   Add the palm sugar and dried shrimp and pound until the sugar dissolves.
4. 4
   Add the green beans and bruise them lightly — bruise, do not pulverise. Every ingredient should stay recognisable.
5. 5
   Pour in the fish sauce and lime juice and stir to combine.
6. 6
   Add the drained papaya and the tomatoes, then pound gently with the pestle while turning with a spoon, so the papaya absorbs the dressing without going soft.
7. 7
   Taste and adjust: it should hit sour first, then salty, then sweet, then hot. Top with peanuts and serve immediately.