This recipe comes courtesy of Khun Suttichai, chef at 101 Thai Kitchen, who who was awarded a prize for outstanding cooking during the 2011 ATBUK Thai cooking course with Ajarn Srisamorn.

Between September 5th and 8th 2011 a group of chefs from various Thai restaurants across the UK took part in a very special cooking course hosted the University of West London and established by ATBUK (The Association of Thai Businesses in the UK) in conjunction with the Royal Thai Embassy, London.

Suttichai says:

Som tam or raw green papaya salad is my most favourite dish because I was brought up with it. I grew up in Roi Et in the North Isan region of Thailand where people love to eat som tam, especially som tam pla raa (with fermented fish).

Som tam is a very versatile dish, you can add anything to it like noodles, salted crab, pork or even salted ducks eggs. You can also take out the things that you don’t like, for example the chillies or even the papaya itself and replace with something else like carrot or apple - it will still be nice!

Ingredients

• For the pla raa sauce:
• 1 cup fermented fish (pla raa)
• 1 tablespoon shrimp paste
• 1 tablespoon palm sugar
• 3 pickled garlic bulbs
• 5 cups of water
• For the som tam salad:
• Fresh chillies (if you enjoy spicy food add a lot but if not just use a few)
• 2 - 3 cloves fresh garlic
• 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 1 Thai olive (magok) - leave out if you can't find it
• 1 Thai aubergine, sliced
• ½ lime, sliced
• 2 cups raw green papaya, shredded
• (You will also need a Thai style pestle and mortar)

Method

• To make the pla raa sauce:
• 1. Bring the water to boil, add the fermented fish and after about 10-15minutes take off the heat and sieve the content leaving only the liquid.
• 2. Put the liquid back on the heat and add all the remaining ingredients, simmer for about 10 minuets or until you get a nice reduced sauce. Leave to cool.
• To make the salad:
• 1. Add the chillies and garlic to the pestle and mortar and pound the two to combine.
• 2. Add the tomatoes, lime, magok, Thai aubergine and papaya. Gently pound and mix.
• 3. Add the pla raa sauce and pound to mix all the ingredients. Sample and adjust the flavours according to your taste.
• 4. Serve with lots of fresh vegetables and sticky rice. Som tam pla raa can also be served with grilled chicken or fish.