Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
From northeastern Thailand, som tai is a salad Thais and farangs-the Thai name for foreigners-have come to love. It is traditionally made with grated green (unripe) papaya that is pounded slightly to soften the fibers before being tossed with lime juice, dried shrimp, and chilies. As the availability of green papaya in the United States is limited, we used cucumber and carrot. We also left out the dried shrimp in order to create a more delicate but still delicious dish.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a bowl stir together garlic paste, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and chili until sugar is dissolved.
Step 2
Thinly slice cucumbers crosswise and add to garlic mixture with carrot. Toss salad well. Salad may be made 4 hours ahead and kept chilled, covered, but cucumber will wilt and give off liquid.
Step 3
Serve salad in lettuce "cups."
