Som Tam Pla Raa — Fermented Fish Papaya Salad / ส้มตำปลาร้า

Isaan — pla raa som tam is the authentic Isaan preparation; the fish sauce version was developed for Central Thai and tourist palates

Som tam pla raa is the Isaan version of green papaya salad — made with fermented freshwater fish (pla raa) as the seasoning agent instead of or in addition to fish sauce. The pla raa transforms the dressing into something deeper, funkier, and more complex than the coastal-Thai fish sauce version. The fermented fish is used either as raw chunks stirred in at the end (for the traditional version with maximum funk) or as a cooked liquid (the fish is simmered with a little water, strained, and the liquid used). This is the version eaten with sticky rice in Isaan, and is an acquired but deeply regional taste. It is the standard version at most Isaan restaurants — the fish sauce version (som tam Thai) is considered the Central Thai adaptation.

Pla raa som tam has an intensity of flavour that the fish sauce version cannot match — the depth of fermentation adds a fifth-dimension complexity that converts the salad from a bright, fresh composition to something ancient and insistent.