น้ำพริก

Nam prik, chilli dips and relishes, are the heart of everyday Thai home cooking. A small bowl of something hot, salty and sour is set in the middle of the table and eaten with rice, raw and blanched vegetables, grilled fish, pork crackling or boiled eggs.

Every region has its own. The north has nam prik noom, made from charred green chillies, and nam prik ong, a mild pork and tomato dip; Isaan has nam jim jaew, the smoky, sour dipping sauce served with all grilled meat.

These recipes show how to char chillies and shallots for smoke, how coarse to pound a dip, and how to balance the seasoning, along with the vegetables and accompaniments that turn a single bowl of nam prik into a meal.

A Thai table often has a nam prik even when nothing else on it is spicy, so these recipes are a good way to add heat to a meal without making every dish hot. They keep well in the fridge for several days, and the northern dips are traditionally made in larger batches and eaten over a few meals.