Photograph of the finished Som tam pu pla ra

Thailand · Nộm đu đủ mắm cua Som tam pu pla ra

Som tam pu pla ra

25 min Hands-on time
MediumDifficulty
5 stepsSteps
Serves 4 Amounts follow along 4

What to get ready

  • Photograph of Green papaya Green papaya 1.6 lb
  • Photograph of Pla ra fermented fish Pla ra fermented fish ½ cup
  • Photograph of Freshwater crabs Freshwater crabs 8.5 oz
  • Photograph of Tomato Tomato 4
  • Photograph of Long beans Long beans 5.6 oz
  • Photograph of Garlic Garlic 12 cloves
  • Photograph of Chilli Chilli 20
  • Photograph of Lime Lime 2

Method

  1. 1 Shred the green papaya into strips, then soak them in ice water to make them crispy and drain well.
  2. 2 Grind the garlic and chili peppers in an earthenware mortar, grinding gently so that the chili peppers release their flavor without becoming mushy.
  3. 3 Add fish paste (pla) and salted crab to the mixture and pound together; this is the Isan version, so it has a stronger, saltier flavor than the Thai version.
  4. 4 Add the chopped green beans and tomatoes, and gently mash them with a pestle until they absorb the flavors.
  5. 5 Add the papaya, gently mash it while stirring with a spoon, squeeze in some lemon juice, and serve immediately.
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