Nam Prik Noom (Northern Thai Roasted Green Chili Dip)
Local name: น้ำพริกหนุ่ม
In short: A smoky northern Thai dip of charred long green chilies, shallots and garlic mashed with lime and fish sauce, eaten with crackling and vegetables. It takes about 30 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 30 kcal
Nam prik noom is a chili dip from northern Thailand made from long green chilies, shallots and garlic charred until blistered, then pounded to a coarse, smoky mash. The flavor is fresh and grassy rather than harsh, with a little lime and fish sauce for brightness. It is served in a small bowl with pork crackling, boiled eggs, sticky rice and raw or blanched vegetables for dipping.
Instructions
- Heat a dry heavy pan or a grill over high heat. Add the green chilies, shallots and garlic, still in their skins, plus the bird's-eye chilies if using.
- Cook, turning often, until blackened in spots and soft: about 8 minutes for the garlic, 10 to 12 minutes for the chilies and shallots. Take each out as it is ready.
- Cool for 5 minutes, then peel the shallots and garlic. Peel the blistered skin off the chilies and remove the stems, keeping the seeds.
- Pound the garlic and shallots with the salt in a mortar to a rough paste. Add the chilies, and pound to a coarse, chunky mash, not a puree.
- Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and coriander. Taste: it should be smoky, salty, sharp and gently hot.
- Serve at room temperature in a small bowl with crackling, boiled eggs, sticky rice and raw or blanched vegetables.
Tips
- Mild long chilies such as Anaheim or banana peppers give the right grassy flavor. Add one or two bird's-eye chilies if you want it truly hot.
- No mortar? Pulse the roasted ingredients in a food processor in short bursts, leaving some texture.
Questions and answers
How long does nam prik noom keep?
Up to 4 days in a covered jar in the fridge. The flavor mellows, and the dip may need a squeeze of lime before serving.
Is nam prik noom very spicy?
Usually mild to medium, depending on the chilies. The long green chilies used are not very hot, but some batches have a kick.
What do you eat with nam prik noom?
Sticky rice, pork crackling, boiled eggs and raw cabbage, cucumber, long beans and eggplant are the usual partners.
How long does it take to make Nam Prik Noom (Northern Thai Roasted Green Chili Dip)?
About 30 min in total: 15 min of preparation and 15 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Nam Prik Noom (Northern Thai Roasted Green Chili Dip)?
About 30 kcal per serving, with 1 g of protein, 6 g of carbohydrates and 0 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 30 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 6 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Fiber | 2 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 450 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
