Som Tam - Green Papaya Salad

Today Nok shows you how to make homemade green papaya salad: the famous Som Tam of Thai cuisine. Most people eat ripe papaya as a fruit, but when green they are a versatile vegetable ideal for this salad! Nok found a great local variety of papaya at the market, which she peels and then chops into fine strips. Combining with carrots, long beans, and cherry tomato, she then creates the perfect balance of sweet/sour/spicy. Fresh garlic, chili peppers and key lime are used. This delightful dish is flavoured also with palm sugar and soy sauce and topped with roasted peanuts. This light and healthy dish will open your appetite for the main course. Using her mortar to smash and blend the ingredients, she quickly creates a wonderful and flavorful salad. This is a vegan version, but you can easily incorporate shrimp or crab meat into the mix if you wish. Enjoy!