Som tam
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Som tam (Thai/Isan ส้มตำ) is a spicy papaya salad originating in Laos and the Isan region of northeastern Thailand. Som (ส้ม) in Isan and Lao is sour, and tam (ตำ) means pounded. The transliteration is also sometimes written as som tum, som dtam or som dtum. Other names for the dish are papaya pok pok (from the sound produced when preparing the dish in a mortar), tam som or, in Lao and Isan, tam mak hung (ตำหมากหุ่ง, Lao ຕຳໝາກຮຸ່ງ) (mak hung is the Lao and Isan word for papaya).
The main ingredient is grated, unripe papaya, seasoned and pounded to a softened state in a mortar. Chili, garlic, lime and fish sauce are also usually added, while yardlong beans and tomato are optional. There are many variations of the dish, some made with carrot instead of papaya. The dish combines the four main tastes of Lao/Thai cuisine: sour lime, hot chilli, salty fish sauce, and sweetness added by palm sugar. The papaya itself is unripe and fairly neutral tasting. It is served at room temperature, traditionally with sticky rice. It is also sometimes served with pork rinds, raw water spinach, raw winged beans or raw cabbage. Very often it is paired with Gai yang (ไก่ย่าง in Thai), grilled chicken..
In Laos and Isan the dish is normally more spicy and sour, while the Central Thai version is milder and frequently includes peanuts. Som tam Lao usually features salted/fermented mud fish (ปลาร้า in thai) or salt-preserved crab (ปูเค็ม in thai), while som tam Thai is prepared with dried shrimp and bean and is often sweeter.
Som tam can also be prepared with other unripe fruits, notably mango, in which case it is known as tam ma-muang (ตำมะม่วง in thai), and cucumber, tam mak teng.
| Thai food | |
|---|---|
| Individual dishes | Mee krob, Neua pad prik, Pad kee mao, Pad see ew, Pad Thai, Rad na, Thai fried rice |
| Shared dishes | Tom yam, Tom kha gai, Gai Pad Khing, Kai yat sai, Red curry, Green curry, Yellow curry, Massaman curry, Panang beef |
| Isan and Lao dishes | Som tam, Larb, Gai yang, Sticky rice, Pla ra |
| Snacks and desserts | Curry puff, Satay, Khanom buang, Thai tea |
| Miscellaneous | Jasmine rice, Phrik khii nuu, Fish sauce, Sriracha hot sauce |
Categories: Thai cuisine | Isan | Lao cuisine | Salads
