In a small mixing bowl, combine the red chillies, green chillies, garlic cloves, and lime juice.
Soak in lime juice for two minutes.
Add fish sauce and sugar. Give it a mix
Taste the mixture and adjust the flavors to your preference. If it's too sour, add a little bit of sugar. If it's too salty, add more lime juice.
Ingredients
Directions
In a small mixing bowl, combine the red chillies, green chillies, garlic cloves, and lime juice.
Soak in lime juice for two minutes.
Add fish sauce and sugar. Give it a mix
Taste the mixture and adjust the flavors to your preference. If it's too sour, add a little bit of sugar. If it's too salty, add more lime juice.
You can call this condiment either prik nam pla (พริกน้ำปลา) or nam pla prik (น้ำปลาพริก); both are correct, so don’t worry about the name. “Prik” means chilies, and “nam pla” means fish sauce, which are the two key ingredients.
Thai people use Prik Nam Pla as an all-purpose flavor enhancer. It’s a tableside condiment you add to your finished dish, similar to how people in the West use salt and pepper, but you don’t cook with it.
Prik Nam Pla offers salty, spicy, umami, and acidic flavors. When your Thai food seems a bit flat, these are the flavors it’s usually missing, which is why Prik Nam Pla works so well in many dishes.
In Thailand, Prik Nam Pla is everywhere. You’ll often see a bowl of it in food courts next to the utensils, on tables in some restaurants, or included with your takeout.
Main Ingredients
- Fish Sauce (น้ำปลา / Nam Pla): This forms the base of Prik Nam Pla, providing a salty and savory flavor that is characteristic of Thai cuisine.
- Chili Peppers (พริก / Prik): These are essential for adding spiciness and depth to the condiment. Red and green chili peppers are commonly used.
- Garlic (กระเทียม / Krathiam): Garlic contributes a pungent and aromatic flavor, complementing the heat from the chili peppers.
- Lime Juice (น้ำมะนาว / Nammanao): Lime juice adds a tangy and citrusy note to balance the saltiness of the fish sauce and the heat of the chilies.
Using Prik Nam Pla
Prik Nam Pla serves as an all-purpose enhancer for dishes needing a flavor boost. Its blend of salt, acid, umami, and spice can elevate dishes that taste bland or lack depth. It’s not used as a dipping sauce but rather drizzled and mixed into dishes.
In Thailand, Prik Nam Pla is commonly used in the following ways:
- Fried Rice: It’s often paired with dishes like Crab Fried Rice to enhance their flavors.
- Fried Eggs: Typically served with dishes such as Holy Basil Stir Fry (Pad Kra Pao) to season the eggs.
- Noodles: Found alongside other condiments at noodle restaurants, allowing diners to customize their seasoning.
- Plain Jasmine Rice: Thai families often use Prik Nam Pla to season rice, especially when accompanying milder dishes like Thai omelettes or vegetable stir-fries. It’s a way for adults to add extra flavor to dishes prepared milder for children.
Tips
- Choose Fresh Ingredients: Use fresh red and green chili peppers, garlic cloves, and limes for the best flavor.
- Adjust Spice Level: Control the spiciness by varying the amount of chili peppers used. Remove seeds for milder heat or leave them in for extra spice.
- Balance Flavors: Taste and adjust the proportions of lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar to achieve a balanced blend of salty, sour, spicy, and sweet flavors.
- Let it Rest: Allow the flavors to meld together by letting the mixture sit for a few minutes before serving. This enhances the overall taste.
- Use as a Versatile Condiment: Besides using it as a dipping sauce, experiment with adding Prik Nam Pla to marinades, stir-fries, or salad dressings for added depth of flavor.
- Experiment with Variations: Try different types of chili peppers (such as bird’s eye chilies or jalapeños) or add herbs like cilantro for additional complexity.
- Adjust Sweetness: If the sauce is too tangy, add a bit more sugar to balance the flavors according to your preference.
- Freshness is Key: Use freshly squeezed lime juice for the best flavor. Bottled lime juice may alter the taste.
- Enjoy Creatively: Don’t hesitate to experiment with Prik Nam Pla in various dishes to discover new flavor combinations and culinary delights.
Storage
Prik Nam Pla stays fresh indefinitely in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. Its high salt content prevents spoilage, though the lime juice flavor diminishes with time, and added garlic and shallots can become overly salty and unappealing. To maintain freshness, We prefer making small batches due to its quick and easy preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What is Prik Nam Pla?
A: Prik Nam Pla is a Thai condiment made from fish sauce, lime juice, chili peppers, and garlic. It is famous for its sour, salty, and spicy flavors.
Q. What do you use Prik Nam Pla for?
A: You typically use Prik Nam Pla as a dipping sauce for vegetables, grilled meats, and other dishes. You can also use it as a base for salad dressings, sauces, and marinades.
Q. What ingredients make up Prik Nam Pla?
A: Prik Nam Pla contains fish sauce, lime juice, chili peppers, and garlic as its main ingredients. Some recipes may include sugar or chopped cilantro as well.
Q. Can you adjust the spiciness of Nam Pla Prik?
A: Yes, you can adjust the level of spiciness in Nam Pla Prik by using different types and amounts of chili peppers. Using milder chili peppers will result in a milder sauce, while spicier chili peppers will make the sauce spicier.
Q. Can you make Nam Pla Prik ahead of time?
A: Yes, you can make Nam Pla Prik ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. The flavors will intensify over time, so you may need to adjust the flavorings before using it.
Q. How long does Prik Nam Pla last in the fridge?
A: Prik Nam Pla lasts for 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator if you store it in an airtight container.
Q. Is Nam Pla Prik suitable for vegetarians or vegans?
A: No, Nam Pla Prik contains fish sauce, which is made from fermented fish, so it is not suitable for vegetarians or vegans.
Q. What does Prik Nam Pla taste like?
A: Prik Nam Pla has a distinctive combination of sour, salty, and spicy flavors, with a hint of sweetness depending on the recipe.
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