Som Tam

Som Tam, or Green Papaya Salad, is a common dish throughout Southeast Asia and so I had my first at the Ayutaia night market. It was very nicely prepared as I watched the vender mash up peppers (I chose two), fresh squeezed lime juice, fish sauce, a handful of garlic cloves still in their papery skins and peanuts in a wooden pestle and mortar set. After that was mashed up to taste – the woman let me taste the sauce with a spoon that she maybe had kept in a cup of water to at least partially wash of the remnants of the last taster’s mouth – she mixed in shredded green papaya and carrot. The dish has a rather large international following and some people come just to do a tour of the different regional interpretations, so I had moderately high expectations. While they weren’t let down, they weren’t fulfilled either. It was good, but need something more. I could’ve added small crabs or dried shrimp, but had opted not to as neither looked enticing, the crab especially so because it was still an entire crab, pinchers and all. It was as I have learned through further Som Tam experience, average. It earned 2.5 forks. What could really push it above and beyond is some fresh prawns. Now that would be something to savor, something to visit for.