The perfect som tam. Photograph: Felicity Cloake for the GuardianAddictively hot and refreshingly crunchy, this Thai staple has been called the world’s best salad. But how long should you pound those ...

Lightly pounding and tossing shreds of green papaya in the bowl of the mortar allows it to absorb the sweet, salty, sour, spicy paste while preserving the salad’s crisp crunch. I’m always mesmerized ...

What could be hotter than walking through Chatuchak market in summer? Not much you’d think, but add spicy food to the mix and the temperature does seem to rise. Now what could be even hotter than ...

Among all the South Asian cuisines that exist today, the one that is closest to our Indian tastes has to be Thai cuisine. The unique mixture of sweet, sour and spicy - which features in a number of ...

Plate up How’s your spice tolerance? Are you good with chilli? Do you order your vindaloo extra spicy? Do you watch Hot Wings and fancy your own stellar performance? Then it’s time to try tam som, ...

Som tam, the ever-popular Thai spicy papaya salad, is ranked fifth in the latest list of the top 500 best dishes issued by Lonely Planet travel guide. The popular magazine for travellers recently ...

The Thai dish of som tam, or green papaya salad, is wonderfully refreshing. In restaurants, it's served as the cook makes it. But Thailand’s street stalls and specialist som tam shops will tailor the ...