NAM PRIK (THAI-STYLE RELISH)
About ¼ cup
Nam prik, which translates as “pepper water,” is a traditional table sauce of Thailand, where there are dozens of variations on the recipe. Some are very thin while others are thick and chunky relishes. They may contain shrimp paste, fried shallots, fish, and even ground pork. Nam prik is served with vegetables, stirred into soups, and used as a sauce for rice, noodles, meat, or fish. The sauce is best if allowed to stand for a day or two, and it keeps well for several weeks in the refrigerator.
Combine in a food processor or a mortar and process or pound to a paste:
- 18 tiny dried shrimp, toasted and chopped
- 4 small dried Thai or árbol chiles, seeded, if desired, and crumbled
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
Stir in:
- 3 small red or green serrano peppers or Thai chiles, seeded, if desired, and finely chopped
- Chopped cilantro to taste
- (Palm sugar or brown sugar to taste)
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 day before serving.