 |
| An indication that a tummakhoung is good is that it overflows with the spicy lime juice. |
I think it most appropriate that my first post for my blog be about tum som since it's something I am deliciously passionate about, but I am not alone in my passion for this spicy, sour, sweet, and savory salad. Tum som is a beloved and one of the most favored Lao food for almost every Lao person I know. For us khone Lao or Lao people, the mere picture sight of tum som alone evokes salivation, just as Pavlov's dogs starts salivating when a certain stimulus associated with food is presented. I have posted numerous pictures from food to flowers on Facebook, but the one that gets the most "Likes" and comments is the tum som food posts, particularly the tummakhoung or green papaya salad. There is something ever so charming and alluring about the mixture of fresh green papaya, vine ripened tomatoes, zesty lime juice, hot spicy peppers, salty fermented padek, fishy fish sauce, strong smelling shrimp paste, and the forbidden MSG. When mashed together in a koke and sak (mortal and pestle) these ingredients create a taste sensation that awakens and tickles every sense in our body, mind and heart!
 |
| I made this batch in Texas April 2010 during a Lao New Year Fundraiser with Jai Lao Foundation. It was so hot you can feel the heat coming out of your ears! LOL! But it was also so good you just couldn't stop either. |
 |
| Sometimes, sometimes you just don't have green papaya for tum som~~ You can always substitute that with any other green vegetables such as long green beans, or cucumber. I also love to make tum kapoon (noodle salad) and I'll do it with any kind of noodle available in my pantry such as Mi MaMa, Mi WeiWei, pho noodles, even kawpiak noodles! |
 |
| Green papaya fresh off the tree makes the best tasting tummakhoung, but unless you're in a tropical climate, a store bought one will do just fine! |
 |
| A good tum som is not as good without all the right ingredients! |
