23 February 2026
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If there’s one dish that could rival pad thai for national icon status, it’s som tam — or som tum, as Google suggests. This punchy papaya salad shows up everywhere in Thailand, from roadside carts to family tables, and has become an international star. No two versions taste quite the same. But among the many riffs, som tam thai remains the crowd-pleaser: sweet, sour, spicy and unapologetically bold.
Think all som tam tastes the same? Not even close. The classic som tam thai is the gateway version — bright, balanced and finished with peanuts and dried shrimp. Craving something funkier? Som tam lao, the Laotian-style papaya salad (also known as tam pla ra), delivers a deep, savory umami punch from fermented fish paste. Seafood lovers gravitate toward som tam pu, tossed with salty pickled mud crab, while som tam pu pla ra doubles down with both crab and fermented fish for maximum intensity. Same mortar and pestle — wildly different personalities.
Sure, anyone can toss shredded green papaya into a mortar and start pounding. But nailing that perfect balance? That’s where the pros come in. We spoke with chef-owner Jiradet “Keng” Netwong of Tumkratoei Saket in Khon Kaen — a MICHELIN-recommended restaurant in the MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2026 — to share the recipe behind his knockout classic som tam. It’s the dish that helped transform a local favorite from Roi Et, an Isan province, into a sensation with 10 branches across Thailand.
“Som tam is a favorite dish that Thai people can enjoy every day because its main ingredient — green papaya — is easy to find year-round in every region. With components like fish sauce, fermented fish paste and lime juice, the flavors come together in harmony without overpowering one another. It’s also considered a healthy dish as it’s simple and nutritious,” he says.
“We offer more than 30 types of som tam. Some people may not be a fan of the bold, funky intensity of fermented fish paste. That’s why som tam thai, the classic Thai-style papaya salad, remains a timeless favorite for those who prefer to skip the fermented fish — while still delivering the full punch of flavor.”
And if you’d like to try making it at home, here’s a classic Thai som tam recipe — bold, delicious and worthy of MICHELIN-level praise.
Som tam thai (serves 1)
Ingredients:- 4 red bird’s eye chilies
- 2 cherry tomatoes
- 4–5 long beans
- 80 grams, shredded green papaya
- 4 lime wedges
- 2 cloves Thai garlic
- 2 tablespoons, fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon, palm sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon, brown sugar
- 15 grams, dried shrimp
- 20 grams, roasted peanuts
- 10 grams, julienned carrot
Instructions:
- Add the red bird’s eye chilies and Thai garlic to a mortar and pound until roughly crushed.
- Add the roasted peanuts and pound lightly until just cracked.
- Add the long beans, cherry tomatoes, palm sugar, brown sugar, fish sauce and lime juice.
- Toss and pound gently until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired.
- Add the shredded green papaya, followed by the julienned carrot. Pound lightly and mix well.
- Transfer to a plate and garnish with dried shrimp and extra peanuts.
The chef’s secrets
- Fresh ingredients are the heart of great som tam — quality makes all the difference.
- Pound the roasted peanuts just until cracked to release their natural oils, creating a thicker dressing and enhancing the nutty aroma.
- Use only fresh limes and freshly squeezed lime juice for a bright, fragrant acidity.
- Combine two types of sugar for complexity: palm sugar adds a mellow, caramel-like sweetness, while brown sugar brings a sharper edge.
- Choose whole dried shrimp for better texture and deeper umami than finely shredded varieties.
- Use Thai garlic for a more intense, aromatic flavor compared to Chinese garlic which is bigger but milder in aroma and flavor.
- No a fan of green papaya? Swap in your favorite fruit — corn, strawberries, avocado or others all work beautifully.
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Header image: Som tam thai by Tumkratoei Saket, a papaya salad specialty restaurant in Khon Kaen. © Anuwat Senivansa Na Ayudhya/The MICHELIN Guide
