Nam Prik: A comprehensive guide to Thailand’s traditional chilli dips
- InFusion
- 8 hours ago
- 6 min read
What is a nam prik
A nam prik is a paradoxical family of recipes. It is one of the most popular culinary categories in Thailand, deeply rooted in everyday food culture, yet it remains largely unknown abroad. For most international travellers, it is almost invisible. Only certain regions, particularly the North around Chiang Mai and, to some extent, Bangkok, offer a real entry point into these preparations that are strongly tied to local traditions.
In Chiang Mai, for example, it is common to see nam prik ong or nam prik num on the menu of restaurants in the old town, frequented by both Thai diners and international visitors. This is almost unique to this city. In most of the country, especially in very tourist-oriented areas, nam prik appear far less often on menus. They are more frequently sold in markets, sometimes at specialised stalls offering several recipes side by side along with a range of garnishes.
Another reason why travellers often overlook this culinary family is its aromatic and spicy intensity. Many nam prik include fermented elements or strongly savoury ingredients with high umami, which are uncommon in Western cooking. Moreover, apart from a few Northern preparations, many nam prik are extremely hot for Western palates. Combined with the fact that this type of dish is unfamiliar, this can discourage discovery.
It would be a pity, though. Behind nam prik lies one of the most authentic and expressive culinary traditions of Thai cuisine. Prepared from simple ingredients, often pounded in a mortar, these chilli pastes stand out for their diversity, regional identity and depth of flavour. They are also easy to prepare at home, provided that their structure is understood.
The purpose of this article is to explain what characterises nam prik, whether in terms of ingredients, techniques or their role in Thai meals. We will also look at how these preparations connect with their accompaniments and how to recreate them easily at home. This is a general introduction that will be expanded over time as new recipes are published on the blog.
Common characteristics of nam prik
Despite significant regional diversity, nam prik share a remarkably stable technical and aromatic structure. This consistency makes the family easy to identify, even when the main ingredients vary. The following elements appear repeatedly across the different preparations.
A roasted or grilled aromatic base
In many recipes, flavour-building begins with dry-roasted or grilled ingredients. The elements concerned are mainly chillies, shallots and garlic. This step serves two purposes,
to soften the raw intensity of garlic and shallot,
to develop gentle smoky notes that contribute to the aromatic signature of a nam prik.
Other nam prik rely on fried aromatics instead. In practice, there is almost always a component whose flavour is enhanced by cooking.
Mortar work to shape the texture
All traditional recipes rely on the mortar, which allows the ingredients to become
either a smooth paste,
or a coarser and more fibrous mixture,
or a combination in which the base aromatics are pounded into a smooth paste while other elements are, for example, crumbled or chopped more or less roughly.
Pounding is never incidental. It plays a decisive role in releasing the essential oils of the chillies and other base ingredients, in incorporating elements such as shrimp paste, and in achieving a paste that can range from refined to rustic. This is a defining structural feature of the nam prik family.
The presence of fermented or strongly savoury umami elements
Among fermented ingredients, the most common is shrimp paste, known in Thai as kapi. It is one of the key fermented components found in nam prik, bringing deep salinity and pronounced aromas. Other fermented products may also be used, although they are less widespread, such as fermented fish, pla ra. It is also common to season nam prik with fish sauce, which is itself a fermented product.
Beyond fermentation, nam prik systematically incorporate strongly savoury ingredients with high umami. As mentioned above, this may come from traditional fermented elements, but the same intensity can also be provided by other salty ingredients, often used alongside them. Dried shrimp and dried fish are common examples, but some nam prik include more unusual components such as the giant water bug, known in Thai as mengda.
A consistently present spicy dimension
Chillies appear in every nam prik in one form or another:
fresh bird’s eye chillies,
dried bird’s eye chillies,
chilli flakes,
fresh mild chillies,
fresh or dried cayenne peppers,
a combination of different varieties.
Sweetness and acidity: secondary yet structuring dimensions
In nam prik, sweet and sour notes often complement the salty and spicy elements, but they are always present at low intensity. Sweetness may come from the ingredients themselves or from light seasoning and serves mainly to soften the heat of the chillies or the depth of the umami. Acidity, usually provided by lime juice or tamarind, is used sparingly to bring freshness and balance without ever defining the character of the dish.
In practice, most nam prik are primarily salty and spicy. Some adopt a salty, spicy and slightly sweet profile, while a smaller number fall into a salty, spicy and mildly sweet and sour profile. These nuances allow the texture and balance of the dish to be adjusted, while preserving the flavour structure that characterises this family of recipes.
A consistent serving style with vegetables, rice and garnishes
A nam prik sits at the centre of the meal. The paste anchors the dish and the accompaniments are arranged around it. Raw vegetables, cooked vegetables, rice and garnishes form a set designed to be eaten with the chilli paste. Each element brings a texture or contrast that complements the sauce. A nam prik is therefore not a marginal condiment but a central preparation served with several neutral or lightly seasoned components.
Although nam prik vary widely, their accompaniments show consistent patterns,
raw vegetables, often chosen for their slight bitterness which pairs well with the heat of the paste, such as small aubergines or okra,
cooked vegetables, usually steamed and served without salt or seasoning so that the nam prik carries the dominant flavour,
rice.
Rice and vegetables form the neutral base that highlights the aromatic intensity of the paste.
Protein garnishes vary according to the nature of the preparation. Plant-forward nam prik are often served with grilled or steamed fish, whereas those that already contain a significant proportion of animal protein are accompanied by more modest additions. Among traditional accompaniments are fried pork rind in the North, hard boiled eggs and the omelette made with Senegalia penata (acacia) leaves, which is particularly common in the Central Plain.
Most of these accompaniments are lightly seasoned or not seasoned at all. They are designed to balance the heat, umami and intensity of the nam prik without competing with its flavour. In this serving style, the paste defines the dish and the surrounding elements exist to highlight it, providing texture, freshness or contrast while remaining discreet.
This principle applies to all nam prik, with one exception, the roasted chilli paste known as nam prik pao. It serves not only as a spicy dip with vegetables or rice but also as a fundamental seasoning in Thai cooking. It forms the base of numerous salads, soups, stir fries and fried rice dishes. Beyond this, a few more marginal preparations are built directly around nam prik, such as the Central Plain fried rice known as khao pad nam prik long rueua.
An easy preparation to recreate at home
Many nam prik are straightforward to prepare. They rely on accessible techniques such as roasting, pounding or briefly stir frying the ingredients before adding the seasoning. The basic elements, such as garlic, shallots and chillies, are easy to find in most supermarkets. Once the paste is made, each person can choose whichever accompaniments they prefer, whether raw vegetables, cooked vegetables or grilled fish.
You will find a small selection of nam prik on our blog that are easy to reproduce at home.
Further exploration
For those wishing to explore this culinary family in greater depth, our book Meat, fish and chilli sauce offers a selection of nam prik representative of different Thai traditions. The book dedicated to the cuisine of Northern Thailand also presents several variants, including some that are rarely documented in culinary literature.
It is also possible to learn how to prepare a nam prik during our cooking classes on Koh Samui. We show how to structure the paste, choose suitable accompaniments and adjust the intensity of the dish according to personal preference.
This article has been designed to help you gain a clearer understanding of this family of recipes. If you have any questions, feel free to write to us or comment directly on this blog post, we are always pleased to reply.
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