5 Thai Somtam Recipes You Can Make at Home, Perfect for Thai Food Lovers

Kapanlagi.com - Somtam, a traditional Thai papaya salad known for its sour, spicy, and savory flavors that tantalize the taste buds, has become one of the favorite dishes for Thai culinary food lovers. This popular dish found on the streets of Thailand can easily be made at home.

Of course, with ingredients available at local markets. Although it looks simple, the combination of crunchy young papaya with typical Thai seasonings creates a harmonious flavor that is addictive. KLovers who love Thai food must definitely cook this dish.

Let's take a look at various Thai somtam recipe variations that you can try making in your home kitchen. Come on, check it out KLovers!

1. Classic Thai Somtam (SOM TAM THAI)

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

Classic Thai somtam is a young papaya salad typical of Thailand that is pounded with spicy, sour, and savory Southeast Asian seasonings. Here’s how to make this Thai somtam:

- Ingredients:

* 2 young papayas, shredded lengthwise

* 2 carrots, shredded

* 10 green beans, cut

* 3 cherry tomatoes

* 2 cloves of garlic

* 3 bird's eye chilies

* 2 tablespoons of peanuts

* 2 tablespoons of palm sugar

* 2 tablespoons of lime juice

* 2 tablespoons of anchovy/shrimp

* 2 tablespoons of fish sauce

- Instructions:

1. Pound the garlic and chilies

2. Add the palm sugar and pound

3. Add the papaya and carrots

4. Add the fish sauce and lime juice

5. Mix all the ingredients well

6. Sprinkle with peanuts and anchovies and serve.

2. Fruit Somtam (Somtam Ponlamai)

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

Fruit somtam is a variation of Thai somtam that uses various fresh fruits such as young mango and apple instead of young papaya. Here’s how to make it:

- Ingredients:

* Young mango, shredded

* Green apple, sliced

* Water apple, sliced

* Seasonings like classic somtam

- Instructions:

1. Pound the basic seasonings

2. Add the fruits

3. Stir gently to avoid crushing

4. Adjust the sweet and sour taste

5. Serve while it’s still cold.

3. Somtam Kai Kem (Salted Egg Somtam)

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

Somtam kai kem is a variant of Thai somtam that adds salted eggs and boiled shrimp, giving it a stronger savory flavor. Here’s how to make it:

- Ingredients:

* Shredded young papaya

* 2 salted eggs

* Classic somtam seasoning

* Boiled shrimp

- Instructions:

1. Prepare the basic seasoning

2. Add the papaya

3. Add crushed salted eggs

4. Add the shrimp

5. Mix all the ingredients well and you can serve it.

4. Somtam Talay (Seafood Somtam)

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

Somtam talay is a Thai somtam enriched with various seafood such as shrimp, squid, and clams for a special ocean flavor. Here’s how to make it:

- Ingredients:

* Young papaya

* Fresh shrimp

* Squid

* Clams

* Classic somtam seasoning

- Instructions:

1. Boil the seafood until cooked

2. Pound the basic seasoning

3. Add the papaya

4. Add the seafood

5. Mix well and you can serve it.

5. Somtam Khao Pod (Corn Somtam)

Illustration (credit: pixabay.com)

Somtam khao pod is a variation of Thai somtam that uses young corn shavings and carrots as the main ingredients instead of young papaya. Here is how to make it:

- Ingredients:

* 2 young corn, shaved

* Shredded carrots

* Classic somtam seasoning

* Peanuts

- How to make:

1. Pound the seasoning as usual

2. Add the corn and carrots

3. Adjust the level of spiciness

4. Sprinkle with peanuts

5. Mix well and you can serve it.

Tips for Making Somtam:

- Choose papaya that is really young

- Adjust the spiciness level

- Use a traditional wooden mortar

- Don’t pound for too long

- Serve immediately after making

Important Notes:

- All ingredients must be fresh

- Spiciness level can be adjusted

- Pay attention to the freshness of seafood

- Can add sticky rice

Those are some Thai somtam recipes that you can make yourself at home. For those of you who want to make it, you can go ahead and do it. Because, if not now, when else?

(kpl/dhm)