Nam Phrik Pao - Thai Chili-Tamarind Paste

[tharrison]

Nam Phrik Pao - Thai Chili-Tamarind Paste

Intermediate only because there's a lot of grunt-work involved. Makes 1 cup. Store in a tight-lidded glass jar in the fridge.

Based off the recipe from True Thai by Victor Sodsook. I add a few dried thai chilies as his version isn't very spicy. Feel free to only use the Japanese if you'd like.

I'm sure that if you use this a lot you can double or triple this recipe. In that case, definitely batch fry and strain the oil if it gets too much stuff in it so it doesn't burn.

• 
  

Nam Som Makham - Tamarind Sauce

• 1 oz seedless tamarind pulp
  
• 1/2 c warm water
  

Chili-Tamarind Paste

• 3 small dried Thai chilies
  
• 10 small dried Japanese chiles
  
• 1/3 c sliced garlic
  
• 1 c sliced shallots
  
• 1/2 c large dried shrimp
  
• 3 coconut-palm sugar
  
• 1 T Nam pla (fish sauce)
  
• 3 T tamarind sauce
  
• vegetable oil, for frying
  

For the Tamarind Sauce:

Put the 1 oz of tamarind pulp in a small bowl. Add the warm water. Break the pulp apart with your fingers. Stir and mash wth a spoon if needed. Strain, making sure to press on the pulp and scrape outside of strainer to get all of the sauce. Set aside. Feel free to use liquid tamarind concentrate if you can find it (sometimes labeled as soup base -- make sure the only ingredients are tamarind and water).

For the Nam Phrik Pao:

1. Place a paper bag or newspaper near cooking area and cover with paper towels. Slice the garlic and shallots and make the tamarind sauce if not using premade. Mix the sugar and fish sauce in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Rinse the dried shrimp in water. Dry well (because you will be frying them) and set aside.

3. In a heavy sauce pan/dutch oven or deep fryer, heat around 1 1/2 cups of oil to 360 degrees F. Carefully add the sliced garlic until golden brown. You might have to do this in batches so that things don't end up too greasy. Remove with a slotted spoon to the paper towel area to drain. Be careful not to burn! Let oil reheat to 360 before moving on.

4. Fry the shallots until golden, 2 minutes. Drain. Let oil reheat.

5. Fry the dried shrimp for about a minute. Drain. Let oil reheat.

6. Carefully fry the chilies for about 30 seconds or until they get brittle and darken in color. BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL! THEY WILL POP! I have a nasty scar on my arm from the first time I made this (the end product was worth it though). I now use a frying pan splatter guard for this part! Don't say you weren't warned Remove and drain.

7. Transfer the fried ingredients to a food processor or mortar and pestle. Add 1/4 cup oil and the 3-4 T of tamarind sauce. Blend until a mostly smooth paste forms. Scrape down sides as needed.

8. Transfer to a saucepan over medium heat. Add the dish of sugared fish sauce and stir it in. Stir on the heat for about 8 minutes. The color will deepen to a rich brick brownish red color.

9. Remove from heat and let cool.

Keywords: Intermediate, Condiment, Hot and Spicy, Sauce, Thai, Southeast Asian, Food Processor, Deep Fryer

( RG978 )