Chili-tamarind sauce

[C. sapidus]

Chile-tamarind sauce

This was inspired by a recipe in Victor Sodsook's True Thai, but I fiddled with the ingredients and proportions. Use this sauce on seafood – fried fish, shrimp, even crab cakes.

• 2 T oil
  
• 1 head (not clove, head) garlic, peeled and finely chopped or smashed to paste in a mortar
  
• 2 T chile-tamarind paste (nahm phrik pao) - more if you are feeling reckless
  
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
  
• 6 scallions, cut into short sections
  
• 2 T palm sugar
  
• 1/4 c chicken stock, preferably Asian-style
  
• 1 T fish sauce
  
• cilantro and/or basil (to taste)
  

Heat a wok or saucepan to medium-high, swirl in the oil, and stir-fry the garlic until fragrant. Add the chile-tamarind paste and stir-fry briefly (um, make sure you have a good hood fan). Add the chicken stock and palm sugar and stir-fry until the sugar dissolves. Add the bell peppers and scallions and stir-fry briefly. Add the fish sauce, bring to a boil, and turn off the heat when the texture and soupiness are to your liking. Let the sauce cool a bit and adjust the sweet-salty balance with sugar and/or fish sauce. Garnish with cilantro and/or Thai basil.

Keywords: Thai, Hot and Spicy, Sauce

( RG2019 )