Vegan Som Tum (Thai Green Papaya Salad)

Ingredients

• 2 cups Green papaya, shredded
• 0.5 cup Carrot, shredded
• 1 cup Cherry tomatoes, halved
• 0.5 cup Long beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons Roasted peanuts, unsalted
• 2 pieces Garlic cloves
• 2 pieces Thai bird's eye chilies
• 2 tablespoons Vegan fish sauce (or light soy sauce)
• 3 tablespoons Lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 1.5 tablespoons Coconut sugar (or palm sugar)
• 1 teaspoon Tamarind paste(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Peel the green papaya and shred it using a mandoline or a large grater into long, thin strips.

2. 2

   In a large clay mortar, pound the garlic cloves and Thai chilies with a pestle until they are broken down into small pieces.

3. 3

   Add the long beans to the mortar and bruise them lightly with the pestle to allow them to absorb the dressing.

4. 4

   Add the coconut sugar, vegan fish sauce, lime juice, and tamarind paste to the mortar, stirring with a spoon to dissolve the sugar.

5. 5

   Add the shredded papaya, carrots, and cherry tomatoes to the mixture.

6. 6

   Use the pestle to lightly pound the salad while simultaneously using a large spoon to toss and mix the ingredients until well coated.

7. 7

   Add half of the roasted peanuts and give it one final gentle toss.

8. 8

   Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with the remaining roasted peanuts.