Authentic home cooking from Thailand, with US measurements.

Originally published on Cookpad Thailand as แกงส้มกุ้งมะละกอ

Gaeng Som with Shrimp and Green Papaya

Name: Gaeng Som with Shrimp and Green Papaya
Ingredients: gaeng som curry paste; green papaya; shrimp; tamarind pulp; fish sauce; sugar; seasoning powder (such as chicken or vegetable bouillon)

ArWarai @ArWarai

อาชีพหลักGraphic Designer อาชีพเสริมก็ Graphic Designer แต่ชอบกินอะไรที่อร่อยๆ และชอบทำอาหารบ้าง บางที ตามสะดวกจ้าาาา :) ถึงจะเป็นกรดไหลย้อน ก็ยังชอบกินแซ่บอยู่จ้าาาา

I had some leftover green papaya from making som tam, so I decided to use it in a rich and hearty gaeng som. This time, I made the soup extra thick by adding mackerel meat to the broth. The more you reheat it, the fluffier the mackerel gets. Enjoy it with rice, or even just the flavorful soup on its own.

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Ingredients

gaeng som curry paste
green papaya
mackerel (such as canned or cooked fresh)
shrimp
tamarind pulp
fish sauce
sugar
seasoning powder (such as chicken or vegetable bouillon)

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Steps

1

Clean the shrimp, peel and devein them, and remove the heads if you prefer.
2

Peel and clean the green papaya, cut it into bite-sized pieces, rinse off the sap in water, and soak it for a bit.
3

Dissolve the tamarind pulp in warm water. If you prefer, you can microwave the tamarind with water to soften it, then mash to extract the juice.
4

Remove the bones from the mackerel and flake the meat. Pound the mackerel meat together with the gaeng som curry paste in a mortar and pestle until well combined.
5

Add the mackerel and curry paste mixture to a pot and dissolve it in water.
6

Season the soup with the tamarind juice, sugar, fish sauce, and seasoning powder. Taste and adjust the flavor as you like.
7

Add the green papaya to the soup and simmer until it reaches your desired tenderness.
8

Taste again. If the flavor is good, add the shrimp and cook until just done. If you want it more sour, turn off the heat and add a squeeze of lime juice for extra tanginess. Now you have gaeng som.
9

Serve hot with steamed rice. The thick, flavorful soup with mackerel gets even better when reheated.

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Cooksnaps

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ArWarai @ArWarai

Published in the US on August 18, 2025 14:01

แม่ชอบใช้ให้เข้าครัวตั้งแต่เด็กๆ หั่นบ้าง ซอยบ้างก็ว่ากันไป พอมาอยู่ กทม. คนเดียวนานๆ มันเบื่ออาหารตามสั่ง ก็คิดถึงรสชาติที่บ้านซะงั้น ทำกินเองดีกว่า โทรถามพ่อบ้าง โทรถามแม่บ้าง ตามสูตรคนคิดถึงฝีมือรสพ่อ แม่ เลยจ้าาา :)