Green papaya, also known as paw-paw, is native to tropical environments, and is particularly prevalent in South East Asia. The skin of the large fruit is dark, with a hard white flesh surrounding white seeds. Green papaya does not have too much of a distinctively strong taste, so it can be used in a number of different dishes as a textured filler. In Thailand, papaya is most commonly used an ingredient in Som Tum, which is a spicy Thai salad – usually made up of thinly sliced papaya, grated carrot, tomatoes, beans, chilli, lime, garlic and fish sauce.