Som Tam

I usually do not find all the ingredients readily to make authentic non-Indian food, so I have to make do with alternatives, or I just skip the ingredient altogether if it is not crucial. Here's a version of the Som Tam (Thai for Papaya Salad) in the absence of fish oil and shrimp paste.

1 medium-sized Raw papaya

Roasted peanuts (whole or crushed)

Some red chili powder

1 green chili, sliced

1 onion, chopped

2-3 tomatoes, chopped

Handful of basil leaves

Bunch of coriander

Soya sauce

Honey

Lemon

Olive oil (or fish oil if you have it)

The raw papaya should be slightly yellow in color to be used. Peel it, remove the seeds and grate it, or use a potato peeler to get thin strips. Just throw all the rest of it in together. You can play around with the quantities to make it more spicy, tangy, or sweet. Add salt if you need to...usually the soy sauce compensates. The original recipe calls for mixing it up using a mortar and pestle to get the juices flowing. Try it if you have it!

Adding raw beans or sprouts will make it more wholesome.