Som Tam
Thai Green Papaya Salad
One of the things I do to relax is watch cooking shows. There are so many fine chefs with programs on PBS, the Food Network, the Cooking Channel. You can learn how to make Southern biscuits at 11:00 a.m. and make an authentic Mole at 11:30 a.m. What’s really exciting for me is how often honey is used in recipes. I was so surprised to learn that Mexican and Pan Asian cuisines use honey. I really don’t think we are ever going to run out of honey recipes.
For example, when @atlhoneyboy John Wright took us all to his favorite organic Thai food restaurant, we fell in love with Green Papaya Salad. Then, I found out how to use honey to make this delicious, nutritious dish. So, I just had to share this recipe with you.
Is Green Papaya Healthy?
One of the foundations to holistic wellness is having a healthy gut. Encouraging helpful bacteria and discouraging unhelpful bacteria is one of the goals of a wellness-producing diet. With its high level of enzymes, green papaya is a “must add” to your food plan, and what could be more delicious and fresh than Green Papaya Salad? Here is a post by Scott Mathias, raw food chef and gut guru, that talks about the health benefits of green papaya.
The Recipe
Please note that I use the highest quality ingredients I can find – organic, local, seasonal. Please keep this in mind when you read and review our recipes.
Ingredients
- 1 small or 1/2 large green papaya - seeded, peeled, and shredded
- 1/2 cup roasted peanuts or cashews
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 to 2 tomatoes, cut into thin wedges or long strips
- 3 spring onions, cut into long matchstick-like pieces
- 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, torn or sliced
- handful of fresh coriander
- 1 red chili, sliced, seeds removed (reduce or omit, to taste)
- 1 cup blanched green beans
- optional: cooked baby shrimp OR cubed fried tofu
- DRESSING:
- 1/2 tsp. shrimp paste OR substitute 1 Tbsp. fish sauce OR soy sauce for vegetarians
- 2 Tbsp. good-tasting vegetable oil
- 2 Tbsp. fish sauce OR soy sauce for vegetarians
- 3 Tbsp. lime juice
- 1/2 to 1 Tbsp. Bee Wild raw honey, to taste
- 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. chili flakes or cayenne pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Put dressing ingredients in a mason jar and shake until the shrimp paste and honey melt into the dressing. Set aside in the refrigerator.
- Put all salad ingredients in your serving bowl and toss with the dressing.
- Taste and adjust seasonings to taste. There should be a balance of sweet, sour, spicy, herbacious.
- Chill until you serve the salad.
- Top with some Thai basil, coriander and chopped peanuts to reinforce the flavors.
I once again would like to thank our readers and customers for supporting our honey recipe section, and I would like to invite you to send us your favorite honey recipes by leaving a comment on the recipe blog.
