Nov 16 2008
Somtam
Somtam is one of the most common and favorite foods by Thais and I learned to love it too. It is made of grated green papaya dashed with salt or fish sauce, seasoned with monosodium glutamate which I think is a little bit too much because they put one teaspoon for just one serving. The ingredients include one or two tomatoes, a squeeze of manao , and couple of Asian string beans and of course the infamous Red hot chilli. All of them are raw and they are all pounded in a small mortar occasionally stirred to make sure all the ingredients blend.
Wow, I have never had so good a papaya salad in my entire life. Somtam is best eaten with fried fish or chicken and a portion of steamed glutinous rice.
But it was so spicy my ears and nose were literally smoking and my tongue was on fire.
