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Lao Papaya Salad (Som Tam)

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Ingredients

  • ½ medium papaya shredded
  • ½ tablespoon shrimp paste
  • ½ teaspoon crab paste
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 2 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 3-4 salted crab + 2 teaspoon juices 'ba khia' in Vietnamese
  • 10 Thai chilis
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon MSG
  • 1 large tomato sliced thinly
  • 3-4 long string bean sliced into 1” pieces

Instructions

  • Add your Thai chilis, garlic, and MSG to the mortar and smash until paste-like consistency.
  • Add sugar, shrimp paste, crab paste, fish sauce, lime. Combine well.
  • Add tomato, string bean, and lightly smash so tomato can release juices.
  • Add your salted crab with juices and combine well.
  • Add papaya and combine well.
  • Serve with cabbage and pork rinds with sticky rice and/or rice vermicelli.