Thailand’s renowned green papaya salad, known as Som Tam, has secured its place as the 6th best salad in the world, while another Thai dish, Pla Goong, has also managed to enter the top 10. TasteAtlas, a website that specializes in global food rankings, recently published its “10 Best Rated SALADS in the World” list, taking into account reviews from food enthusiasts across the globe.
Som Tam successfully clinched the title of the world’s sixth favorite salad, while the spicy and tangy shrimp salad, Pla Goong, impressed food fanatics as well and was placed 9th in the worldwide rankings. The Dakos salad from Greece topped the list, renowned for its delicious combination of crunchy barley rusk, crumbled myzithra cheese, chopped ripe tomatoes, olives, capers, fresh oregano, and high-quality olive oil.
Other noteworthy entries on this list include Tunisia’s Mechouia, a tomato and onion salad standing tall at the third position, Japan’s Goma Wakame, a delectable seaweed salad in the seventh spot, and Lebanon’s Fattouche, a fresh combination of crunchy pita pieces with lettuce and tomato, which came in 10th.
TasteAtlas points out that Som Tam is generally linked with the Northeast region of Thailand, although some believe it originated in Laos. This mouthwatering salad is made with raw papaya sliced into thin strips, and then combined with roasted peanuts, cherry tomatoes, garlic, bird’s-eye chilies, fish sauce, dried shrimp, palm sugar, and lime or tamarind juice using a mortar and pestle. It can be customized further with numerous additional ingredients.
Som Tam can vary in terms of sweetness and spiciness, which has contributed to its widespread popularity. It is sold as a traditional snack both by food shops and street vendors in Thailand, allowing customers to choose from an assortment of available ingredients. This simple yet scrumptious salad dish has captured the taste buds of food lovers worldwide.
Meanwhile, Pla Goong is a refreshing salad made with shrimp, lemongrass, shallots, kaffir lime leaves, coriander, and wild betel leaves that are accompanied by a dressing of lime juice and chili peppers. This dish also comes in a variety of permutations with the shrimp substituted for other types of seafood, fish, or even an entire seafood medley, giving rise to an exciting and innovative salad experience.
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