Tam Mak Hoong

Tam Mak Hoong (Lao Green Papaya Salad)

A fiery, funky Lao salad of green papaya pounded in a mortar with chilies, garlic, lime and padaek - the fermented fish sauce that gives it its deep, pungent bite. Best eaten with sticky rice and raw vegetables.

Prep

25 min

Total

25 min

Serves

2

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 1½ oz) green (unripe) papaya, firm, white-fleshed, no seeds
• •4 cloves garlic
• •4 whole bird's eye chilies, or to taste; 6–8 for extra heat
• •3 whole long beans, cut into 4 cm (1½ in) lengths; yardlong beans
• •1 whole tomato, cut into 6 wedges
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) lime juice, about 1–2 limes
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) padaek, fermented fish sauce; strain out solids if chunky
• •10 g (3½ oz) roasted peanuts, unsalted, roughly crushed
• •1 tsp palm sugar, or ½ tsp white sugar
• •1 pinch MSG, optional, traditional in Laos; omit if preferred

Steps

1. 1 Peel the green papaya, halve it, and remove any seeds. Shred into thin, matchstick-length strands using a knife or a coarse grater. Soak briefly in cold water, then drain well and set aside.
2. 2 In a large clay or wooden mortar, pound the garlic and bird's eye chilies with the pestle until bruised and broken down - about 15 seconds. Do not make a smooth paste; keep it coarse.
3. 3 Add the long bean pieces and pound lightly, 3–4 times, just to bruise them so they absorb the dressing.
4. 4 Add the tomato wedges and pound gently 2–3 times to release some juice without turning them to mush.
5. 5 Add the palm sugar, MSG (if using), lime juice and padaek. Pound and stir with the pestle for about 10 seconds to dissolve the sugar and combine.
6. 6 Add the shredded papaya. Using the pestle to press and a spoon to fold, toss and pound lightly for 20–30 seconds so the strands are coated but still crisp.
7. 7 Taste and adjust: more lime for sourness, more padaek for salt/funk, more sugar to balance. It should be assertively salty-sour-hot.
8. 8 Transfer to a plate, scatter with crushed peanuts, and serve immediately with sticky rice and raw vegetables (cabbage, long beans, morning glory).