Every time I say the name of the recipe I picture graphic novel-style exclamations above me and I want to punch three times in various directions into the air — one, two, three!
Basically I feel like a Thai warrior, not someone who just shallow-fried dried shrimp and fish, garlic, shallots and chile peppers into a sweet, sticky, oily condiment. That’s significantly less cool. At least, most people think so — but not me.
I rarely shallow- (or deep-) fry. But in Asian cuisine, land of no ovens, it’s how you get things crispy. It’s also delicious. And not awful for you in moderation. I’m not eating Nam Prik Pau by the litre or anything.It’s sweet and savoury, salty and spicy — the perfect umami blend. Which means it goes with everything. I have a little of it with rice and chicken. I have it with potatoes. And sweet potatoes. You can eat it with toast. Or pita. In sandwiches. With meat. With vegetables.
I made it originally because the chicken and lemongrass soup recipe in Nong’s Thai Kitchen: 84 Classic Recipes that are Quick, Healthy and Delicious
So, first make this soup, then either make lots more soup, or get creative with my suggestions above for the leftovers. The jam also freezes well. And even in the fridge it lasts about a month because of the oil and sugar being preservatives. Actually, those are probably why it’s an oil- and sugar-heavy sauce condiment — to last longer in hot, humid Thailand…and sticky Montreal.
Tom Yum Kai – Spicy Lemongrass Chicken Soup with Chicken and Mushrooms
Seasoning Sauce
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp Nam Prik Pao Thai chile jam (recipe below)
1/2 tsp salt
Soup
4 cups water or chicken stock
Six 1/8-inch (3mm) thick slices galangal
2 kaffir lime leaves, torn into small pieces
1 stalk lemongrass, crushed and cut into two-inch (5cm) lengths
1 lb (500g) boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into 2 x 1 x 1/8-inch (5cm x 2.5cm x 3mm) pieces
1 cup thinly sliced fresh mushrooms
2 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 green onion, finely chopped
3 stems fresh coriander, finely chopped
Whisk all seasoning sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Bring the water or stock to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the galangal, lime leaves and lemongrass. Simmer 2-3 minutes. Remove the herbs with a slotted spoon and discard (I froze them for stock). Add the chicken and return pot to a boil. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and cook 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the seasoning sauce. Top with the green onion and coriander just before serving.
Nam Prik Pao (Thai chile jam)
3 Tbsp thick tamarind juice pressed from a half-deck-of-cards-sized block of tamarind
1 cup oil (high heat, like canola, peanut or sunflower)
15 shallots, peeled and sliced
10 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1/4 cup dried shrimp (you can try asking about sustainability, but most vendors won’t know)
7 dried finger or Thai chiles, seeded
Five 1/8-inch (3mm) thick slices galangal
5 Tbsp palm sugar (if it comes in blocks, grate it and measure it fairly loosely instead of packing it tightly into the measuring spoon)
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp salt
Place the tamarind in a small bowl and pour over 1 cup boiled water. Place a plate on top and leave for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, measure all the remaining ingredients and have them ready to go. Then use your clean hands to separate the stringy tamarind threads to release the juice in the bowl. Pass the contents of the bowl through a sieve, pressing to collect as much juice as possible. Discard remaining tamarind fibres. Measure 3 tbsp and reserve the rest for another use (I freeze it in an ice cube tray).
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a wok or a small-diameter but deep saucepan. Wait at least three minutes until the oil is very hot (this depends on your type of stove. Gas is faster). Deep-fry the shallots until light golden brown. If they start to blacken, turn down the heat. If they don’t turn brown, turn up the heat. Then remove with a slotted spoon to a blender. Add the garlic cloves to the oil and repeat. Repeat with the dried shrimp, chiles and galangal one by one. Add everything to the blender as it’s done.
Blend the fried ingredients, adding the 3 tbsp tamarind juice to help blend if necessary. Scrape the contents of the blender into a clean saucepan and bring to a boil along with the palm sugar, fish sauce and salt. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
These recipes are re-printed with permission from the publisher.
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