Som tam

Description:

Som tam or som tum (Thai: ส้มตำ, pronounced [sôm tam]) also known as tam bak hung (Isan: ตำบักหุ่ง, pronounced [tam bàk hùŋ]) is a spicy salad, the standard form of which is made from shredded unripened papaya. Som tam is similar to the Laotian dish tam mak hung and the Cambodian dish bok l'hong. It is listed at number 46 on World's 50 most delicious foods complied by CNN Go in 2011.

Country of Origin:

Thailand

How to make "Som tam" (Recipe):

Includes:

Thin green French beans, diced

Langoustines, seared

Dried tomatoes

Lime, peeled and diced

Peanuts, roasted and chopped

METHOD

1. Make the pasta dough: Sift the flour and the dried shirmp powder in a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Add three eggs, salt and olive oil the the well. Incorporate the ingredients in the well with a pastry scraper to mix the dough. Begin kneading the dough by pushing away with the heel of your hand until smooth and elastic. Let the dough rest. Wrap with cling film for up to our hour at room temperature.

2. Pasta-rolling by machine: Cut the rested dough and flatten. Feed it through the pasta machine. Repeat five to six times and then cut the pasta sheet into spaghetti shape. Let dry at room temperature for 15 minutes.

3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and olive oil. Add the pasta. Boil until the pasta is al dente (firm to bit), stirring occasionally. Drain the pasta and put in a bowl of iced water then rinse out. Add olive oil. Set aside.

Som tam pesto:

1. Put the red chillies, garlic, cashew nuts, peanuts, Thai basil, chilli powder into a blender. Grind until smooth. Add fish sauce, lime juice, palm sugar, and then add olive oil while the blender is running. Blend until smooth and emulsified.

Serving and garnish:

1. Remove the shell of the langoustine and gently pull out the meat. Heat a non-stick frying pan over moderate to high heat until hot. Add olive oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook the langoustine for a few minutes on each side.

2. Heat the frying pan. Add the olive oil. Add the cooked pasta and som tam pesto. Toss well. Transfer to a serving platter by making a "pasta nest" with a chef fork. Garnish with the cooked langoustine, diced green French beans, dried tomatoes, diced lime zest and peanuts.