Thai · lunch, side

Som Tum (Thai Green Papaya Salad)

Som Tum (Thai Green Papaya Salad) — from CiCi Li, Asian Home Cooking's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 3:04

Video by CiCi Li, Asian Home Cooking on YouTube · Open on YouTube

20 minServes 2183 kcal a serve
  • 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.

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Ingredients 11

Method

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. Add the dried shrimp, half the peanuts and the beans and pound or press lightly so the beans crack a little. 1:47
  5. 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

Energy183 kcal770 kJ
Protein7.1 g14% of a day
Fibre3.7 g13% of a day
Carbohydrate31 g28 g net · 24 g sugars11% of a day
Fat4.9 g0.7 g saturated6% of a day
Sodium1,440 mg63% of a day

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.