Thai · lunch, side
Som Tum (Thai Green Papaya Salad)
Video by CiCi Li, Asian Home Cooking on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Pescatarian
- Gluten-free ingredients
- Dairy-free
Contains: Crustacea, Fish, Peanut. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
Almost all raw vegetables and fruit with no added oil: papaya, lime and tomato make it a good source of vitamin C, and the peanuts and dried shrimp add a little protein and crunch.
The printable card is ink-friendly, fits on one page and has a QR code back to this recipe.
Ingredients 11
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Peel the green papaya and shred it into thin strips with a knife or a julienne peeler. Soak in cold water for about 5 minutes to crisp it, then drain well. 0:27
- Pound the garlic and chillies in a mortar until broken into small pieces (or mince them finely) and put them in a large bowl. 1:04
- Add the palm sugar, fish sauce and lime juice and stir until the sugar dissolves. Drop in a couple of the squeezed lime pieces for extra aroma. 1:27
- Add the dried shrimp, half the peanuts and the beans and pound or press lightly so the beans crack a little. 1:47
- Add the papaya and tomatoes, bruise lightly and toss so everything is coated. Scatter over the rest of the peanuts and serve straight away. 2:04
Tip. Green mango, apple or carrot can stand in for green papaya. Start with 1 tbsp palm sugar and add more to taste. Serve with sticky rice and grilled chicken for a meal.
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 2
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 61%
- Protein 15%
- Fat 24%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 47% of the 28 g of net carbs come from the palm sugar. To cut carbs, try using less, or leaving it out.
One serve has about 63% of a day’s sodium. Use less salt, stock or sauce, or a reduced-salt version, to bring it down.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin C High89%
81 mg a serve, mostly from green papaya (76%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Folate High21%
85 µg a serve, mostly from green papaya (43%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
Magnesium High20%
83 mg a serve, mostly from fish sauce (38%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Vitamin B6 Source17%
0.3 mg a serve, mostly from fish sauce (25%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Vitamin K Source13%
15 µg a serve, mostly from long beans (56%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Selenium Source12%
6.8 µg a serve, mostly from dried shrimp (72%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Potassium Source11%
500 mg a serve, mostly from green papaya (37%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Vitamin E Source11%
1.7 mg a serve, mostly from roasted peanuts (44%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Vitamin B12 Source11%
0.3 µg a serve, mostly from dried shrimp (65%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Show the other 6
Vitamin A9%
78 µg a serve, mostly from green papaya (60%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Iron7%
1.3 mg a serve, mostly from roasted peanuts (31%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Zinc7%
0.8 mg a serve, mostly from roasted peanuts (39%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Calcium5%
62 mg a serve, mostly from green papaya (32%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Omega-34%
0.1 g a serve, mostly from green papaya (43%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Vitamin D0%
0 µg a serve, mostly from dried shrimp (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by CiCi Li, Asian Home Cooking; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.