Dish guides
What is som tam?
ส้มตำ · som tam
Som tam is a spicy, sour salad of shredded green (unripe) papaya, pounded in a mortar with chillies, garlic, lime juice, fish sauce and palm sugar, usually with tomatoes, long beans, dried shrimp and peanuts. It's most closely linked with Laos and the Lao-speaking northeast of Thailand (Isan) and is eaten everywhere, typically with sticky rice and grilled chicken.
- At a glance
- Som tam
- Spicy pounded salad of green papaya with chilli, lime, fish sauce, dried shrimp and peanuts.
- Pronunciation
- Say it like sohm tahm · IPA /sôm tām/
- Also written as
- som tum, green papaya salad, papaya salad, ส้มตำไทย (som tam thai), ตำปู (tam pu, with salted crab), ตำลาว / ส้มตำปูปลาร้า (Lao style, with fermented fish), tam mak hung (Lao)
What’s in it
Core ingredients
- shredded green papaya
- bird's eye chillies
- garlic
- lime juice
- fish sauce
- palm sugar
- cherry tomatoes
- long beans
Often added
- dried shrimp
- roasted peanuts
- salted field crab (pu)
- pla ra (fermented fish sauce)
- salted egg (tam khai khem)
- pickled clams, cockles or mixed seafood (tam hoi dong, tam thale)
- raw vegetables and herbs on the side
- sticky rice and grilled chicken (kai yang) to go with it
Allergens
| Allergen | How likely |
|---|---|
| Fish | Typically contains |
| Shellfish | Typically contains |
| Peanuts | Often contains |
| Eggs | Sometimes contains |
| Molluscs | Sometimes contains |
| Gluten | Rarely contains |
| Soy | Rarely contains |
| Sesame | Rarely contains |
| Dairy | Rarely contains |
| Tree nuts | Rarely contains |
| Diet | Suitable? |
|---|---|
| Vegetarian | Depends — Only when made without fish sauce, pla ra and dried shrimp; vegetarian (jay) stalls use soy sauce or salt instead, and the mortar is usually shared. |
| Vegan | Depends — Same as vegetarian; the dish itself has no egg or dairy. |
| Pescatarian | Usually |
| Halal | Depends — The salad has no meat, but fish sauce, fermented fish and shared mortars and stalls mean it's rarely certified; it's often served next to grilled pork. |
| Kosher | No |
| Gluten-free | Usually |
Allergen and calorie details are AI estimates based on the menu and typical recipes. They can be incomplete — if you have a serious allergy, always check with the staff.
Thai style, Lao style and other versions
Som tam stalls usually offer several versions, and the name tells you what's in the mortar:
- Som tam thai (ส้มตำไทย): the sweeter, central Thai version with dried shrimp and peanuts. The usual choice on tourist menus.
- Som tam pu (ส้มตำปู) or tam pu: with small salted field crabs, crushed shell and all.
- Tam lao or som tam pu pla ra (ส้มตำปูปลาร้า): the northeastern and Lao style with pla ra, a pungent fermented fish sauce, and usually no peanuts or sugar. Salty, funky and very hot.
- Tam sua: papaya salad mixed with rice noodles.
- Tam khai khem adds salted egg, and seafood versions such as tam thale or tam hoi dong (pickled shellfish) add squid, clams or cockles.
In Laos the same dish is called tam mak hung. Variations with cucumber, green mango or long beans in place of papaya follow the same method.
How it's made and eaten
Som tam is made to order. The cook bruises garlic and chillies in a tall clay or wooden mortar (khrok), then adds the papaya, beans and tomatoes and pounds and turns them with a spoon so the dressing soaks in. The number of chillies sets the heat, and you can ask for it adjusted before it's made.
It's served on a plate with raw cabbage, long beans or herbs to cool your mouth, and eaten with sticky rice (khao niao) rolled into a ball by hand and grilled chicken (kai yang). Som tam is a common lunch and a popular street food, usually shared at the table. More Thai menu words are in the Thailand menu guide.
Where som tam comes from
Papaya and chillies both arrived in Southeast Asia from the Americas, centuries ago. The pounded salad is widely credited to Lao cooks and spread from Isan, Thailand's northeast, to the rest of the country, where the sweeter Thai style with peanuts and dried shrimp developed. Its exact origin is debated: some Thai historians think it first appeared among Lao settlers in central Thailand.
How to order it
| Phrase | Romanization | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ขอส้มตำไทยหนึ่งจานครับ | Kho som tam thai nueng chan khrap. | One Thai-style papaya salad, please. (Women say kha instead of khrap.) |
| เผ็ดน้อยครับ | Phet noi khrap. | Only a little spicy, please. |
| ไม่ใส่กุ้งแห้งครับ | Mai sai kung haeng khrap. | No dried shrimp, please. |
Not to be confused with
- Larb — A warm salad of minced meat with lime, chilli, fish sauce and toasted ground rice; also from Isan.
- Yam — The general Thai word for tossed salads, such as yam woon sen (glass noodles); mixed in a bowl, not pounded.
Frequently asked questions
Is som tam very spicy?
It can be very spicy, especially Lao-style versions, because cooks often use several fresh bird's eye chillies. The heat is added to order, so ask for "phet noi" (a little spicy) or "mai phet" (not spicy). Even a mild som tam usually has some chilli, and the lime and fish sauce make it sharp and salty.
Does som tam have peanuts?
Often. Som tam thai, the central Thai version, usually has roasted peanuts pounded in or sprinkled on top, while Lao-style versions with fermented fish usually don't. Peanuts may also be in the shared mortar from earlier orders, so if you have a peanut allergy, tell the cook before they start.
Is som tam vegetarian?
Not as usually made. The dressing is based on fish sauce, Thai-style versions add dried shrimp, and Lao-style ones use fermented fish and crab. Vegetarian stalls and restaurants make it with soy sauce or salt instead; ask for it "jay" (vegetarian) and check whether the mortar is shared.
What's the difference between som tam thai and som tam lao?
Som tam thai is sweeter and milder, with palm sugar, dried shrimp and peanuts. Som tam lao (tam lao or som tam pu pla ra) uses pla ra, a strong fermented fish sauce, often with salted crab, and is saltier, funkier and usually hotter. Ask for "som tam thai" if you want the version most visitors know.
