A tribute definitely has to be made for my favorite thai dish that I have yet to get tired of, Somdtam- aka Papaya Salad. I'm sure my choice was influenced over the fact that this dish is vegetarian, which is hard to come by in Issan making my options not too broad. Somdtam is a staple of the Issan diet and is served at every meal as a side dish next to Khao Neiow- sticky rice. The combination of sweet, spicy, sour, and salty added with the crunch of unripe papaya and peanuts makes it a winner. One crucial mistake can be made when ordering somdtam, not specifying Somdtam Thai. In Issan they mainly eat somdtam Lao which adds fermented fish sauce. Fermented fish sauce, Bla La, meaning lazy fish, is exactly how it sounds. Whole fish that have been allowed to sit in a tub and ferment over a number of days. The people of Issan LOVE this flavor and is something my taste buds have not become and may never acclimated to.
In the picture above is my favorite somdtam shop with the lady that makes the best somdtam in the village. We have become buds in my weekend lunch trips to get my dose of somdtam. She knows my order down to the number of chili peppers I like in my dish. She slowly talks to me in thai so I can understand her and I always look forward to my weekend visits!
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