Som Tam

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Ingredients:

2 cups of shredded green papaya (or rutabaga)

2 T roasted peanuts (unsalted probably)

2 cloves of peeled garlic

1-2 small Thai chili (optional)

½ piece of palm sugar

7 cherry tomatoes

juice of ½ lime

1 ½ Tbs fish sauce

5-10 fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch sticks

Directions:

1.     Roughly crush peanuts with mortar/pestle. Set aside.

2.     Peel and shred the papaya. Soak strips in cold water while you prepare the rest

3.     Smash chilies, garlic and palm sugar with mortar/pestle. There should still be large bits and pieces- not a puree.

4.     Add peanuts and papaya and continue bashing, just enough for the papaya to soak up the flavors.

5.     Add tomatoes, beans, lime juice and fish sauce. Continue to bash, shifting mixture with spoon to mix. You aren’t trying to break up the ingredients too much, just enough to release the flavors.