Have you had Som Tam, or (spicy) Thai-style papaya salad, before? I had plenty growing up, but nothing was close to the Som Tams I have had since visiting Isaan (northeastern Thailand) so far.
Som Tam here hits differently. The raw papaya is crisp and sweet. The fermented fish sauce (pla ráa) is aromatic. Everything is very ‘nua’ – intense flavors blended perfectly well together. Pla ráa is one of those ingredients that I arnt to love – not too much of it, though, because it can get very salty and fishy. Som Tam doesn’t have to be spicy. It really depends on what you like. Great Som Tam can be very mild yet very ‘nua’.
Just enjoy the food for now. I’ll get into the politics and (probably) geopolitics of Som Tam in the near future.
Cătă’s thought: As a farang (foreigner) who enjoys Thai food, I do love a great Som Tam as long as it is not too spicy. However, having Som Tam in Isaan has been a full-on experience – either overpowering fermented fish sauce, or mouth-numbingly spicy. They are full of flavor, and I’ve had a great time trying a new one every day… for about 3 bites at a time 😆.
We are still on the road and have been enjoying Isaan so far. People are so lovely, and life seems to go much slower over here.
Here is some more Som Tam for you.
