Som Tam - Thai Green Papaya Salad

General Cooking tips

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Stravaig
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I'm very keen on Thai food and love cooking it. But it can sometimes be inconvenient and expensive to get the right ingredients. It might mean a long drive to an Asian supermarket and then a hefty price tag for the item itself. And in some cases the item isn't available anyway.

Here's a tip I got from the Thai chef at the Hyatt in Kyiv - use a white kohlrabi instead of the green papaya. I tried it and it works! I did later get my hands on a green papaya and was surprised to find that I preferred the kohlrabi version! If you have any interest in Thai food and cooking, I highly recommend this.

Trouble is that white kohlrabis aren't always that easy to find in Kent. :lol:
Westi
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I grow them quite easily, maybe try some in your pots Stravaig?
Westi
Stravaig
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Ooh, that's a great idea, Westi.

Green papaya are invariably imported. I don't know if they can be grown in the UK and if anyone here grows them. They're very expensive (maybe £6 each if you do find them) and white kohlrabi are such a great substitute.

I quite often buy, say, a celeriac or a kohlrabi or anything 'unusual' if I see it at a supermarket and it's not uncommon for the checkout assistant to ask me what on earth can be done with such a thing. British people (unless they're gardeners like you guys or foodies like me) are clueless about what to do with what we'd consider to be everyday items.

On that subject what do YOU do with kohlrabi? I've only ever used it for making my version of som tam. Celeriac, on the other hand, is like a potato but tastier and can also be used raw!

PS: I did try posting a few photos of my increasingly feeble indoor garden but it didn't work out for whatever reason and last week was a bit hectic. I'll try again. It's good to share but it might also result in some useful advice for me. :D
Westi
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The purple Kohl Rabi are prettier on the eye but go woody quicker than the white. I use them in gratins & the like, grated in coleslaws or just grated over the top of a mixed salad for a crunch & I've substituted it for Mooli in Chinese also to get the crunch. It is very popular in Germany & I found a lot of recipes on Pinterest. Most hellishly full of calories & not great for the cholesterol either!
Westi
Stravaig
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Thanks, Westi.

I'm not bothered about calories - I'm less than 7 stones. :)

If I ever see anything unusual I like to buy it just to see what it's like. I also like to take revenge by eating anything that's hurt me or caused damage, eg jellyfish and squirrel, but that's a story for another day. (I have not yet tried anthropophagy :lol: )
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