Hed Chef: Enjoy a taste of Thailand this CNY with som tam moo krob

Give your guests a taste of Thailand this Chinese New Year.

Som tam moo krob (green papaya salad with crispy pork) is easy to replicate and you could even get your guests to enjoy some hands-on salad-making.

If you do not have a Thai mortar and pestle, you can use your own regular mortar and pestle to crush the ingredients then mix them up in a salad bowl.

Another method is to place the ingredients in a resealable bag, seal it, then use a rolling pin to bash the ingredients in the bag.

I have no qualms using roast pork from the roast meat stall at the market. With so much to do over the festive season, you will appreciate the little shortcuts that give you more time and energy to entertain your guests.

INGREDIENTS (Serves six)

• 1 green papaya (640g), peeled
• 2 garlic cloves
• 6 red chilli padis (15g)
• 4g dried shrimp
• 4 stalks of long beans (80g), cut into 5cm lengths
• 2 tsp Thai palm sugar
• 3 limes (150g), cut into quarters
• 1 small carrot (50g), shredded
• 2 tomatoes (110g), quartered
• 50g peanuts
• 40ml (about 8 tsp) of fish sauce
• 2 tsp of freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 cooked salted egg (cut into six segments)
• 150g roast pork, cut into 2cm by 3cm pieces

METHOD (MAKES 2 BATCHES)

1. Shred the papaya using a vegetable shredder or knife. When using a knife, hold the papaya firmly in one hand. Use the knife to make multiple cuts of about 2cm deep, lengthwise. Then slice lengthwise to get strips that are around 5cm to 7cm long. Repeat until you get to the papaya core, which can be discarded.

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2. Smash one garlic clove and three chilli padis in the mortar.

3. Add half of the dried shrimp, half of the long beans, a teaspoon of palm sugar and six wedges of lime. Pound to squeeze out the lime juice.

4. Add half of the shredded green papaya. Pound and use a spoon to toss the mixture.

5. Add four teaspoons of fish sauce. Toss and pound.

6. Add half of the shredded carrot, toss and pound.

7. Add one tomato, then lightly toss and pound.

8. Add half the peanuts, then lightly toss and pound.

9. Add a teaspoon of fresh lime juice, then toss and pound.

10. Transfer green papaya salad into serving dish. Place half of the salted egg on top. Arrange half of the roast pork on top of the salad. Serve immediately.

11. Repeat steps two to 10 using the remaining ingredients for second batch.

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