Som Tam

Som tam is shredded green papaya pounded with lime, fish sauce, chilli and peanuts in a mortar. It is Isaan's sharp, sour salad, and the pounding itself — not chopping or tossing — is what makes it recognisably som tam rather than any other papaya slaw.

What it really is

Unripe, still-firm green papaya is shredded into long thin strips, then pounded in a clay or wooden mortar together with garlic, chilli, tomato, lime juice and fish sauce, bruising everything just enough to release its juices without turning it to pulp. Roasted peanuts and sometimes dried shrimp go in toward the end, pounded lightly so they stay distinct rather than crushing into paste.

The pounding is the technique, not a preparation step to rush through. A som tam that's merely tossed with dressing misses the bruised, slightly softened texture the papaya takes on under the pestle, and the seasoning never works its way into the shreds the same way.

How it is served

• Straight from the mortar, often at the table.
• With sticky rice and grilled meat alongside, a classic Isaan pairing.
• As a starter or a shared dish, rarely a meal on its own.

How to write it on the menu

• Flag the fish sauce, the peanuts and, if dried shrimp is used, the shellfish.
• Rate the heat honestly, since som tam's chilli level varies widely and can be adjusted to order.
• Say if a vegan version without fish sauce or dried shrimp is available, since both are traditional but easy to substitute.