Vegan nam prik pao (Thai chilli jam)
Chilli jam, or nam prik pao, is a great introduction to Thai relishes and is a versatile ingredient that can be used in any number of ways (in stir fries, fried rice, and tom yum to name a few). The Thai roasted chilli paste that can be purchased commercially is nam prik pao, although few versions are vegan friendly. This will keep for a couple months in the fridge.
Ingredients
- 80 millilitres hot water ⅓ cup
- 3 tablespoons tamarind pulp from a block See notes
- 250 millilitres vegetable oil 1 cup
- 100 grams thinly sliced shallots 1 cup
- 50 grams garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped ⅓ cup
- 4 thin slices galangal 5-6 grams
- 5 dried long red chillies, deseeded
- 7 grams fine sea salt or table salt 1 teaspoon
- 65 grams soft light palm sugar packed ¼ cup
Instructions
- Mash the tamarind and warm water together in a small bowl. Use a mesh strainer to strain the liquid into another container by pressing the pulp firmly against the mesh with the back of a wooden or silicone spoon. You'll end up with about 80 millilitres (⅓ cup) of tamarind liquid.
- Set aside a plate to hold each ingredient after it's fried. Don't worry about using kitchen roll to drain away excess oil.
- Bring the oil in a wok to medium heat. Tip the shallots into the oil and fry, stirring often, until they are toasty brown in colour (but not burnt) and crispy. Pay special attention to the edges of the oil, where the ingredients tend to darken more quickly than in the centre of the wok. The shallots should take 10-15 minutes to prepare. Use a mesh skimmer to remove the shallots to the prepared plate.
- Next add the garlic to the oil and cook in the same way until the slivers are lightly brown (somewhere around 5 minutes, depending on how hot the oil is). Remove to the plate.
- The galangal will take less time to cook than the shallots and garlic. Fry the slices until they are shriveled and brown around the edges, just a minute or so. Remove to the plate.
- Finally, fry the dried chillies until they turn a deeper red (30 seconds to 1 minute). As with all other ingredients, do not burn before removing to the plate.
- Once everything is fried, pound the salt and fried chillies with a pestle and mortar into a smooth paste. Add the fried galangal and pound until broken down. Continue with the garlic and then shallots until everything is pulverized and combined into a paste.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the frying oil in a smaller pan. Add the prepared tamarind liquid, the pounded paste, and palm sugar. Cook for 10 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring regularly. The paste will thicken slightly in the pool of oil. Allow to cool before use.
- The oil will be flavoured with all of the ingredients you fried in it, so save it for use in dressings and other cooking applications (or for future frying).
