My Aunt's Nam-prik Pao

(Note: The recipe is here, finally. Posted on Oct 4, 07)

I have been so insanely busy I've completely neglected my blogs. Work is nuts, and I'm about to start my insane travel schedule again---so I thought if I didn't post now, I'd never get started again. En plus, boy do I have a story to tell.

Last weekend I was inspired to make my aunt's famous Chilli Paste (Chilli Jam or Nam-prik Pao in Thai). It was my grandmother's recipe. I am addicted to that paste. I grew up on it. We always had a jar at home, and used it for practically everything. A dollop in a bowl of Tom Yum Goong, stir-fired with clams, spreaded on toast like a spicy jam, or simply mixed in with warm rice. It is black gold, I tell you. I remember vividly the scenes at my aunt's house every time she made a batch. There would be cars waiting, driven by our drivers and even some of my cousins, to dispatch the Nam-prik Pao as soon as it was done to friends' and relatives' houses as gifts.

Anyway, I was missing it so much last weekend. My supply from Thailand ran out ages ago, and the commercially made stuff is crap to eat! So I decided to give it a try. A few years ago on a visit, my aunt taught me the family's secret recipe. We weighed everything so I had a recipe to start with, but she admonished me to not go by it alone. She had me taste every stage as she conjured her magic, and told me to memorize well. She didn't need to remind me to remember what the end product should taste like, as it was imprinted in one of my earliest taste memories.

So I did it. I started early Saturday evening, and it was well into the early hours of Sunday morning before I was done. I definitely underestimated the time it took to slice about half a kilo, each, of shallots and garlic. My aunt insisted that they should be thinly sliced, by hand. It was easy for her to say. She had servants to do all the heavy slicing!! So there I was, obediently slicing shallots, one by one, until the whole half kilo was done. Then there was the garlic to do!!

I persevered, not wanting to stray from the recipe the first time I made it. And when it was over, I had seven small jars of my aunt's Nam-prik Pao--exactly like how she made them. I was flabberghasted. I really didn't think I could do it. But I did! I was so happy I could cry. I was so happy I couldn't stop jumping around even though it was already well into the early morning.

The next morning, Chris walked around my apartment sniffing the air. He kept saying—what was that smell? It actually took a day or two for the smell of fried garlic and shallots to go away finally.

Chris's complaint went completely mum after Sunday night dinner. For which I made a few dishes with that magic Nam-prik Pao. Clams stir-fried with Nam-prik Pao and Thai basil, Tom Yum Goong and Tofu stir-fried with Nam-prik Pao. The meal was delicious, everyone said so---even our little friend Sasha.

Comments

[Ulric Legouest]

Sawatdee Khrap Pi'Pim,

I used to live in Thailand. I miss Thailand! Anyway, I just made some today from a website but as a vegetarian who avoids sugar I had to replace to fish sauce, shrimp paste, and sugar. I actually ended up using Tamari (salty), Umeboshi paste (for the sour/salty), and agave syrup (sweet). Though it was slightly different from what I remember in Thailand, but it ended up really good. So if you ever make this for a vegetarian or a diabetic, those are the secret replacements.

Nam Prik Pao - Thai Chile Paste
Here is a make at home version if you don't have access to Thai products or you just prefer to make your own.

I N G R E D I E N T S
2 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon of coconut oil
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
3 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 tablespoon chopped shallots
3 tablespoon coarsely chopped dried red chiles
1 tablespoon Umeboshi paste
1 tablespoon tamari sauce mix
2 tablespoon of agave

[I would also consider adding a few thai chiles to taste]

I N S T R U C T I O N S
mix the oils and heat the oil: add the garlic and shallots and fry briefly, remove from the oil and set aside. Add the chilies and fry until they start to change color, then remove them and set them aside.

In a mortar and pestle pound the umeboshi paste, tamari sauce, add the chiles, garlic and shallots, blending each in before adding the next. Then over low heat return all the ingredients to the oils, and fold into a uniform paste.

The resulting thick, slightly oily red/black sauce will keep almost
indefinitely. If you wish you can add more of the tamari/umeboshi and/or agave to get the flavor you want.

[adapted from the following: http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/namprikpao.htm]

Besides the changes I made, how close is it?

[Harmeet]

Hi Pim,

I just saw your post about your Aunt's namprik pao. Would you be able to email me your recipe?
I'm soooo eager to try it!

Harmeet

[vicki]

Hello... i know EVERYONE has already asked... but could i also have the recipe!
my email is viachinski@gmail.com
im actually in culinary school and i love to cook, but when i try recipes from other countries... i like to do it right and use a real traditional recipe...
so please, if you wouldn't mind, could you share it! :)
Vicki

[Adi]

thanks for sharing this recipe... i had to substitute a couple of things, since i had neither shrimp paste nor shallots at home, and didn't want to wait till the next day...

anyway, i seem to have bungled things up a bit, because my sauce has turned out to be truly unbelievably HOT - somewhere in the range of vicious viper, if not hotter. i like to push myself as far as spicy food is concerned, but less than a spoonful of this stuff really does the works with a bowl of rice. i think i didn't pay enough attention to deseeding and removing the membranes. by far the spiciest stuff i've made - ecer.

it does taste very good though. will make sure i add shrimp paste to any dishes i use to make with it. will probably make stir fried beef with it this week. thanks again!

[dc]

http://www.thaifoodandtravel.com/recipes/nahmprikpow.pdf works very well.

[Rohini]

Sounds delicious, can I have the recipe. It will be for personal use only

[Rick]

Oh pretty please may I have this recipe. I will gladly trade my grandmother's prizewinning recipe for chocolate syrup/icing/fudge (the difference being how long you boil it...)

TIA

-Rick

[onehsancare]

I, too, would very much appreciate your aunt's recipe.

[Elizabeth Morgan]

Hi there,

I adore Thai food and cook a variety of gourmet foods from around the world. I would love the recipe for your aunt's Nam Prik Pao.

Thanks so much,
~elizabeth~

[Susie]

Hi Pim,

I was so....so excited when i saw your site. I finally found someone who is just as mad as i am in wanting to make the best nam prik pao on earth. I am crazy about thai food, especially tom yum goong, stir-fries and others that really require good, yummy and authentic nam prik pao as their base ingredient. I have looked everywhere for a long time for a good nam prik pao recipe but unable to find it. I am still waiting for that one day to arrive when i can stop searching and just enjoy cooking dishes that taste like they have been cooked by the real thais. Pim, would you be kind enough to share the recipe with me please..please..please... thanks

[Damien]

Hi Pim,

I have tried quite a few of these recipes, the best I got was David Thompsons... and as nice as his is..... I have no doubt yours will be better.

So would appreciate a peek...

Ta in advance

Damien.

[Giles Newstead]

well mabey you are sick of giving out this recipie but down here in little Tassie I cant get mey hands on any Nam Prick and am hanging out for a good tom yam. So if possible, Please

[Deanna]

Oh please, are you just teasing us? I fell in love with this Nam-Prik Pao in Thailand and have a garden full of peppers and a cellar full of garlic and would love to have this recipe. Do you think the recipe at http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/namprikpao.htm is close to yours? Are there other ingredients that can be added? Thanks.

[Andrew]

Hmmmmmmm....sounds good, would you mind sending me a copy too please. :-)

[jeri]

This sounds soooo good. I am discovering a love for Thai food, and plan to try my hand at some of your recipes, first one being the homesick curry. I join the others in begging for your Aunt's Nam-Prik Pao recipe! I have always thought of sharing recipes as a way of honoring and preserving them, but do understand if your family doesn't share that view.

[cath]

hi pim

i would dearly love to surprise my friend nid with some cooking from her homeland, please pass on your families fabulous recepie if you could.

much love and appreciation

[todd green]

Hello Pim, If you're giving it out, I would love the recipe for your aunt's Nam-prik Pao. Cheers - Todd

[Pete]

What a nice change of pace. Something on the web that's actually interesting! I loved reading about your Aunt's Nam-prik Pao, as well as the tips on pounding ones own curry paste. I have yet to find a place to buy cilantro with the roots still on it, but I did find a place to buy a nice Thai mortar and pestle. Now if I only had some money...
In any case, I have been completely infatuated with Asian food in general, and Thai food in particular for quite a while now. And lo and behold, my adopted home of Nashville has suddenly become a burgeoning paradise of cultural diversity. There is quite a large community of Thai, Vietnamese and Lao in the last few years and with them has come a cornucopia of markets offering innumerable Asian delights.
I miss San Fransisco, too. I used to live on Jones just above Geary. Still not sure why I left. Oh yeah, a woman made me do it! If I might be so bold, I must say you look quite delectable yourself, gazing wistfully over that big coffee cup. My other passion - great coffee!
Thanks again for a great blog - I'll be back. If I ever have any money I'd love to contribute to Doctors without Borders. My own Doc does a lot of work for them in Haiti.
Ciao for now
Pete

[kim preddice]

Please email copy of nam prik pao recipe thanking you
kim

[Adrian]

Hi Pim.

I've been desperately trying to find a good nam prik pao recipe. I have some Thai guests coming to stay with me in Australia and want to cook them some home food.

Thanks, Adrian

[Adam]

Hi Pim, I would love the recipe of your nam-prik pao as i know how hard it is to find a good one being a perfectionist myself!

[Cyndi]

Hi Pim -- Your blog is making me sooooo hungry! I would like to add myself to the list of people begging for your Aunt's recipe for Nam Prik Pao, please! I'll send you my recipe for Scottish Tablet in exchange -- a fantastically delectable Scottish sweet that isn't sold in the U.S. Like Nam Prik Pao, if you want authentic and delicious Tablet, you have to make it yourself, but it's worth the time and work. Khawp khun kha -- Cyndi

[Tiffany]

I would also love a copy of this recipe. While studying in thailand for a semester I quickly learned how tasty the stuff can be, even if just eaten with a bag of sticky rice. I have tried to make it... but failed (not sure if it was the recipe or me) but I would sure love to try again... hopefully with your seemingly dreamy recipe.
Thanks

[Peter Colman]

Dear Pim,
I would be so happy to recieve a copy of your aunt's recipe, I have a friend who occasionally gives me a jar of his wife's nam prik pao. I have begged him for the recipe, but his wife won't share the secret. Please please would you? Regards.
Peter

[Zee]

If you're wlling to share, I'd love to have a copy of this recipe too... Please oh please oh pretty please? I promise to hoard it away and never give it to anyone else (without your permission.)