Prik Nam Pla Recipe (Thai Chili Fish Sauce)
Prik nam pla is the classic Thai table condiment of fish sauce, chilies, lime, and garlic. Salty, spicy, sour, and loaded with umami. Spoon it over rice, eggs, grilled meat, or anything that needs a bit of zing.
Servings: 8 tablespoons
Calories: 20kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 6-8 Thai chilies thinly sliced (use a mix of red and green)
- 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced crosswise
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced shallot optional
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar optional, to taste
Instructions
- Thinly slice the Thai chilies and the garlic. Slice the garlic crosswise into thin coins rather than mincing it.
- Combine the fish sauce, lime juice, chilies, garlic, and shallot in a small bowl. If using sugar, stir until it dissolves.
- Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes so the garlic and chilies infuse the fish sauce.
- Serve at the table in a small bowl with a spoon. Spoon it over finished dishes to taste.
Notes
Heat level: 6 chilies gives you a medium table sauce, 8 is closer to what you'd get in Thailand. Core the chilies for milder, or use serranos or Fresnos if you can't find Thai chilies. The sauce gets hotter over the first day or two as the capsaicin infuses into the liquid.
Sugar is optional. Taste it first before adding. Sweetened fish sauce brands won't need it, but it can help balance the bitterness and saltiness of unsweetened fish sauce.
Storage: refrigerate in a covered jar. Safe for a long time thanks to the salt, but the lime fades and the garlic goes dull after about a week. Make in small batches.
Nutrition
Calories: 20kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 573mg | Potassium: 145mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 323IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 0.5mg