Green Papaya Salad with Pork

Name: Green Papaya Salad with Pork (Som Tam)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Laotian
Ingredients: 1 (7 oz) pork chop, vacuum sealed; 4 oz green beans, trimmed; ½ small green or unripe papaya, peeled and julienned; ¼ cup cilantro leaves; ½ cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes; 1 garlic clove, peeled; 1 Thai chile, stemmed; 2 tbsp dry roasted peanuts; 1 tbsp brown sugar; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

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Som tam is a Laotian green papaya salad pounded with garlic, Thai chiles, and fish sauce for a bright, sour flavor profile. This version adds vacuum-sealed pork and fresh herbs for a complete, quick meal.

🌍Laotian 🏷️Lao 🏷️Pork 🏷️Salad 🏷️Sous vide 🏷️Southeast asian Papaya

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Total

1h 15m

Servings

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Recette Magazine

Ingredients

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1 (7 oz) pork chop, vacuum sealed
4 oz green beans, trimmed
½ small green or unripe papaya, peeled and julienned
¼ cup cilantro leaves
½ cup halved grape or cherry tomatoes
1 garlic clove, peeled
1 Thai chile, stemmed
2 tbsp dry roasted peanuts
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp fresh lime juice

11 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Place pork in a Suvie pan, cover with water, and insert into the top zone of your Suvie. Place green beans in a second Suvie pan and insert into the bottom zone of your Suvie. Input settings, and cook now or schedule. Sous Vide at 150°F for 1 hour for both zones.
2
While the pork cooks, prepare the dressing. Assemble garlic clove, Thai chile, and peanuts on a cutting board. Chop and mince until well blended and cohesive. Transfer mixture to a small bowl with brown sugar, fish sauce, and fresh lime juice. Set aside.
3
After the cook, remove pork from packaging and cut into thin pieces. Cut green beans into 2-inch pieces. In a large bowl combine papaya, cilantro leaves, cherry tomatoes, pork, and green beans. Pour dressing over and toss to combine. Divide between plates and serve.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Pound garlic and Thai chile in the mortar first to release aromatics before adding other ingredients—this builds flavor from the base up.
Don't over-pound the papaya; gentle bruising preserves texture and crunch rather than creating a mushy salad.
Toast the peanuts yourself for deeper flavor, or add them just before serving to keep them crisp against the wet dressing.
Use fish sauce judiciously—it's potent; taste as you go and adjust lime juice and sugar to balance sour, salty, and sweet.

Substitutions

Green papaya → green mango or cucumber (mango closest in flavor, cucumber milder and less fibrous)
Thai chile → bird's eye chile or serrano (adjust quantity for heat tolerance)
Fish sauce → soy sauce or tamari (changes umami profile; taste and adjust salt)
Pork chop → chicken breast, shrimp, or tofu (cook to doneness before adding)

Storage & make-ahead

Store pounded salad and dressing separately; combine just before eating. Leftover cooked pork keeps refrigerated for 3 days; assemble fresh salad components within 1 day.

Equipment

mortar and pestle

Common Questions

What can I use if I don't have green papaya?

Substitute green mango or cucumber. Both offer similar crunch and acidity, though cucumber is milder and less fibrous than papaya.

How do I pound the salad properly?

Use a mortar and pestle to gently bruise the papaya, green beans, and herbs—don't pulverize. Pound garlic and chiles first to release oils, then add remaining ingredients.

Can I make som tam ahead of time?

Assemble up to 2 hours ahead; add dressing and pounded ingredients just before serving to keep the salad crisp and prevent sogginess.

How should the pork chop be cooked?

The vacuum-sealed pork chop should be cooked through (165°F internal temp) before slicing and adding to the salad. Pan-sear or steam according to thickness.