Thai Green Papaya Salad (som tum thai)
[ Serves 4 ]  

  Salad Dressing
  2 tablespoons fish sauce
  1 / 4 cup palm sugar, or light brown sugar
  1 / 4 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
  2 garlic cloves
  2-4 Thai bird chilies, or to taste, chopped
  2 tablespoons dried shrimp, small size, washed and patted dry
  1 / 2 cup long beans or green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
  3 cups green papaya, peeled and shredded (see note)
  8 cherry tomatoes, halved
  1 / 4 cup roasted peanuts cabbage wedges and fresh long beans cut into 2-inch pieces, to serve

  1. Combine dressing ingredients, stir to mix well and set aside.

  2. Place the garlic, chilies and dried shrimp in a mortar and pound until they are broken down. Add long beans, pound again,
      add shredded green papaya and cherry tomatoes and pound to bruise the vegetables slightly and release their juices.

  3. Pour dressing over vegetables. Stir to mix well, pounding the papaya gently with a spoon to bruise.

  4. Stir in roasted peanuts, mix well.

  5. Adjust the seasoning and transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle with any remaining dressing and serve with cabbage wedges|
     and fresh long beans.  

   Note To prepare green papaya, peel and cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and discard. With a Japanese mandolin or box   grater, shred the papaya into long, thin strands about 1 / 16 inch wide. There are many versions of som tum. The Northeast style   will differ from the Central Plains style. This recipe is from the latter and is the most popular—often served at Thai restaurants   overseas. You can substitute broiled fresh prawns for the dried shrimp. Just marinate the prawns in the dressing and place on top
  of the papaya. You can also add some shredded carrot for extra color and texture, if you like.