Nam Prik Kapi (Thai Shrimp Paste Chili Dip)
Nam Prik Kapi (Thai Shrimp Paste Chili Dip) - kvalifood.com
A pounded chili dip built on roasted shrimp paste (kapi), garlic, Thai chillies, palm sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce. Pea eggplants are the traditional addition, lightly crushed in the mortar. Served with rice and a spread of raw and blanched vegetables.
Makes 2-4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Thai shrimp paste (kapi)
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 3-5 Thai chillies, to taste
- 1.5 tbsp palm sugar
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1-2 tbsp fish sauce
- 40 g pea eggplants (optional)
Directions
Wrap the shrimp paste in a small piece of foil. Toast in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes per side until fragrant. Unwrap and set aside.
Pound garlic and chillies together in a mortar until coarsely broken down. Add the roasted shrimp paste and work into a paste.
Add palm sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce. Pound and stir until the sugar dissolves and everything is well combined. Taste and adjust for a balance of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy.
If using pea eggplants, add them and press gently against the side of the mortar to crack them open. Mix through.
Notes
Roasting the shrimp paste mellows its raw funk and deepens the flavor.
Serve with sticky rice, raw vegetables (cucumber, cabbage wedges, long beans), blanched vegetables, and fried or steamed fish.
The balance should be salty-sweet-sour-spicy in roughly that order.
See Also
Nam Prik Num (Northern Thai Green Chili Dip)
Nam Prik Pao (Thai Roasted Chili Jam)
Nam Jim Jaew (Thai Roasted Chili Dipping Sauce)
Nam Pla Prik (Thai Fish Sauce with Chillies)
