Tam means to pound: the green papaya is bruised in the mortar together with the dressing so it drinks it in. The salad was born in Laos and Isan with fermented river crab (poo) and no peanuts; the central Thai version added dried shrimp and more sugar. It conquered Bangkok to the point of becoming one of the country's most-ordered dishes, held up by the exact balance of sour, hot, salty and sweet. If the heat is too much, ask for mai pet.
Ingredients
400 g shredded green papaya
4 bird's eye chilies (fewer if you can't take the heat)
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp dried shrimp (or fermented river crab in the poo version)
1.5 tbsp palm sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce
3 tbsp lime juice (or tamarind in the Lao version)
8 cherry tomatoes and 20 g peanuts
120–200 kcal per typical serving.
a full salad serving, without sticky rice or sides (estimated from the typical recipe)
