Nam Prik Pow

[kirra]

Nam Prik Pow

Use this homemade chili paste in recipes calling for Nahm Prik Pow (roasted chili paste). Or use it as a condiment with rice, as a spread for toast and crackers, as a dip for pork rinds and shrimp chips.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots (about 8 to 10 heads)
1 cup thinly sliced garlic (about 30 to 40 cloves or 3 or 4 heads)
3/4 cup peanut oil
30 to 50 small dried red chiles (1/2 to 3/4 cup)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons shrimp paste (gkabpi)
small piece of banana leaf or aluminum foil
2 1/2 to 3 Tablespoons of Tamarind Juice the consistency of fruit concentrate
1 to 2 Tablespoons Fish Sauce (nahm bplah)
1/3 to 1/2 cup Palm Sugar to taste
2 Tablespoons Water

Preparation:

Spread the shallots and garlic out on a pan or screen and allow them to dry for a few hours or even a day. Setting a fan near them will help, putting them in the sun, in a just warm oven, or you can use a food dehydrator.

Once they have dried sufficiently, fry the shallots in the peanut oil in wok, until they are golden brown. Continue to fry stirring constantly until they turn a rich brown color. Remove from oil using a wire skimmer. Fry the garlic in the oil until it turns a golden color, stirring frequently and being careful not to burn. Remove from oil using your skimmer and set aside. Keep the oil in the wok for later use.

In dry cast iron pan roast the chilies and the salt together over medium heat until they turn a rich dark red color. (Salt reduces chili fumes) Remove from pan and wipe the pan clean. Roast the dried shrimp in the same pan, stirring frequently until they are fragrant and golden brown. Let both chilies and dried shrimp cool before grinding them to a fine powder in a coffee grinder or spice mill.

Wrap the shrimp paste in a banana leaf or aluminum foil and toast directly over a medium high gas burner for a few minutes, holding the packet with a pair of tongs. If you have an electric stove, place the packet directly on the coil. On either stove, turn packet frequently until the leaf is well charred and the aroma of shrimp paste strongly comes through. Remove from heat and let cool.

When the garlic and shallots are cooled, grind them separately in a food processor or clean coffee grinder. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and pound each separately until greatly reduced. Then combine both the garlic and shallots with the chilies and shrimp.

Mix well and pound together in batches if your mortar is small, until all the ingredients are of the same texture. Cut the roasted shrimp paste into small chunks and add to the mixture, continue pounding until well blended.

Combine 2/ 1/2 Tablespoons of tamarind juice, 1 Tablespoon fish sauce, 1/3 cup palm sugar and 2 Tablespoons water in a small dish and set aside. Reheat the wok with the remaining oil. Add the chili mixture and fry over medium low heat until it is fragrant. Stir in the seasoning mixture. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and slowly roast the mixture with frequent stirrings until the flavors have become integrated and the mixture has turned a dark burnt red color and the mixture has thickened to a consistency of a very thick salsa. If the mixture is too dry, add 1 or 2 Tablespoons of water, stir well and continue to roast a few more minutes to blend the liquid in with the paste. Taste and make adjustments by adding more Tamarind Juice, Fish Sauce, or Palm Sugar to the desired combination. The paste should be noticeably sweet.

Transfer to a clean jar. Cover and refrigerate. This paste keeps for several months in the fridge. Makes about 2 cups.