Som Tom : Green Papaya Salad

I learned this from my friends at Asoke and my new friend Rose from Bangkok.
All recipies are not adapted by flavor so amount is at your discretion.


Long shredded Green papaya (for the stoopid it's unripe papaya)
handful of cherry tomatoes chopped in half
2 red chillies
cloves of garlic
fish sauce
soy sauce
1 lime or juice of lime
tamarind juice (if you can find some at your local asian mart)
sugar paste (you can use sugar if you can find)
salt
peanuts
dried shrimp (if you want to make if fish/veg)

optional: carrots, apples, guava

So with a mortar and pestel crush up garlic and chili about 5 times, not to smithareens.
add the tomatoes and lime (cut in wedges) crush a bit more, about 3 times.
add like a spoonful of fish sauce, soy sauce, tamarind juice, sugar paste and a pinch of salt
then mix and crush like 3 times (if you have a big enough mortar and pestel then do it all in that, if not move the contents to a bigger bowl)
add dried shrimp and peanutes in the end and crush and mix once.

you can be bold and try with apples next time. More spicy, add more chilies, duh!

About Virgin Vegetarian

For all of you dear souls that are afraid of little veggies, no need to fear this is for you. On my short journey i've met a lot of wonderful chefs and kitchen capers this is from them. Meat eaters no need to fear most of these you can (if you must) add some bloody meat too.

If you are a current veg then please email me your recipies and i will post them up. Hope all of you can enjoy the world of veg, and thank me for changing your life.