Cold sauces & condiments
Nam Prik Num
น้ำพริกนุ้ย · A traditional Isan (Northeastern Thai) condiment comprising charred fresh green chillies, shallots and garlic pounded together raw with fermented fish sauce. The dry-charring over charcoal or open flame imparts a distinctive smoky, slightly bitter edge that balances the chilli heat and the deep umami of the fermented fish. It is served as a raw, coarse-textured paste — never cooked after pounding — and is a daily staple in the Isan household, eaten with boiled vegetables, grilled meats and sticky rice.
The formula
5 : 3 : 1 : 3 (chillies : shallots : garlic : fermented fish sauce by weight; fish sauce adjusted to season)
The chillies, shallots and garlic are measured by weight; the fermented fish sauce is the seasoning variable — start with ~3 parts by weight and taste. Optional grilled eggplant (1–2 parts) may be folded in as a mellowing base without disturbing the ratio. Lime juice is a finishing acid, not a measured component.
Identity
- Dry-charring over live flame or charcoal — the single non-negotiable step that creates the smoky foundation
- Raw pounding — never cooked after grinding; heat destroys the fresh chilli character and aroma
- Fermented fish sauce (pa daek) as the sole liquid and umami source — no water, stock or oil added
- Rough, textured paste — not smooth; small pieces of chilli and garlic should remain visible
- Served at room temperature as a living condiment — not heated, not refrigerated into cold service
Ingredients
| Base | Fresh green Thai chillies (prik kee noo or prik chee fa) | 150–200 g; thin-skinned green chillies char better than thick-skinned varieties; the skin should blister and blacken without the flesh cooking through |
| Aromatics | Shallots | ~90 g (3–4 medium); peeled, charred whole |
| Aromatics | Garlic | ~30 g (5–7 cloves); charred whole alongside the chillies |
| Seasoning | Fermented fish sauce (pa daek) | ~90 g; the primary seasoning, liquid and source of deep umami; it is the backbone of the paste. Use a strongly fermented, salty, funky pa daek, not mild commercial fish sauce. |
| Acid | Lime juice (optional, to finish) | 1–2 tsp; added last to brighten and cut richness; optional in the classical version but common in modern preparations |
| Base | Grilled eggplant (optional, for bulk) | 50–80 g; folded into some Isan versions as a mellowing base; does not appear in the master ratio but is a recognised regional variation |
Method
- 1Char the chillies, shallots and garlic directly over a charcoal grill, gas flame or in a dry wok over high heat, turning occasionally, until the skin is blistered and blackened in patches and the shallots and garlic are softened and charred at the edgesDry heat caramelises the sugars in the shallots and garlic, producing sweetness and a roasted depth; charring the chillies develops a pleasant smoky-bitter note that balances the raw heat and umami. This is the defining flavour of nam prik num.
- 2Transfer the charred ingredients to a clay or granite mortar. Pound the garlic and shallots first, working with the pestle in a circular grinding motion, until a coarse paste forms with small visible pieces remainingPounding the denser aromatics first creates a foundation into which the chillies integrate evenly. Starting with chillies smears them against the walls before the harder ingredients are broken down.
- 3Add the chillies and continue pounding to the desired texture — coarse and rough, not smooth; small chilli fragments should remain visibleA rough texture is the classical presentation; over-pounding releases too much raw chilli liquid and destroys the contrast between charred exterior and fresh interior of the chillies.
- 4Add the fermented fish sauce (pa daek) gradually, pounding and folding to incorporate fullyPa daek is salty and intensely flavoured; adding it all at once risks overseasoning before the paste is fully pounded. Working it in gradually also binds the paste, as the fish sauce acts as the only liquid phase.
- 5Taste and adjust: add more fish sauce for saltiness and depth, a squeeze of lime for brightness, or another charred chilli for heatSeasoning is done in the mortar — the paste is ready to serve immediately and should be tasted as a living condiment, not adjusted after resting.
Techniques that matter
Dry-charring over open flame
The absence of fat or liquid concentrates browning reactions (Maillard and surface caramelisation) on the chillies and alliums, producing the characteristic smoky, slightly bitter edge that distinguishes nam prik num from cooked chilli pastes.
Pounding in a stone mortar
The grinding-and-tearing action of a mortar, rather than blade chopping, preserves some cellular structure in the chillies and aromatics, giving the paste its characteristic rough, textured quality and allowing the charred and raw elements to coexist.
Raw assembly (no cooking after pounding)
Nam prik num is served immediately after preparation, uncooked. The acidity of the lime (if used) and the fermentation of the pa daek provide microbial stability in the short term, but the fresh chilli character — bright, grassy, raw — is the intended flavour profile.
Seasoning-to-taste in the mortar
The paste is finished where it is made; the fermented fish sauce is added incrementally and the paste tasted directly, because the salt and umami levels of pa daek vary between producers.
Variations & derivatives
Nam Prik Num with Grilled EggplantIsan
Whole small eggplants are charred alongside the chillies, peeled and mashed into the paste. The eggplant absorbs the chilli char and fish sauce, mellowing the heat and adding body. The most common family-style version.
Nam Prik PaCentral and Southern Thailand
Uses prik pa (green bird's eye chillies) instead of prik kee noo; similar charred-then-pounded method but with a significantly fiercer heat profile. Sometimes includes kaffir lime zest.
Nam Prik OngNorthern Thailand
Cooked version (the paste is briefly simmered in pork fat) using ripe red chillies, tomato and pork mince; fundamentally different in that it is cooked, orange-red and includes protein.
Khao KamLao cuisine (Laos/Isan)
The Lao equivalent — similar charred fresh green chilli paste but with additional toasted rice powder (khao khua) stirred in, adding starch and a nutty, cereal depth. Fermented fish sauce is still the seasoning base.
Nam Prik Num Tod (Fried)Modern Isan
A small portion of the raw paste is fried briefly in a hot wok with a little oil until fragrant and slightly crisped at the edges; served as a contrasting texture within the same meal.
Used in these dishes
Substitutions
- Fermented fish sauce (pa daek) → Standard commercial fish sauce — No true substitute replicates the deep, months-long fermentation of pa daek. Standard fish sauce is the most accessible fallback; it provides salt and umami but lacks the earthy, funky depth and body that define the paste. Adding a small amount of roasted shallot liquid or a pinch of sugar can help approximate the roundness of pa daek.changes result
- Prik kee noo (thin-skinned green Thai chilli) → Green bird's eye chilli or serrano — Bird's eye and prik kee noo are effectively interchangeable; serrano offers similar thin-skinned heat with slightly less fragrance. Avoid thick-skinned varieties that char poorly.
- Fresh charred aromatics → Roasted in a dry cast-iron pan at high heat — Indoors, a ripping-hot dry cast-iron pan produces acceptable char without live flame. Turn frequently to avoid uneven burning. The result lacks the full smoke of open-flame charring.
Troubleshooting
Paste tastes excessively bitter or ashy with no chilli freshness
Chillies were charred too long or over direct high flame, burning through the flesh rather than blistering the skin; the charred bitterness overwhelms the fresh chilli notes → Char over medium-high flame for 2–3 minutes, turning; the skin should be blackened but the flesh underneath still bright green and juicy. If already over-charred, blend in 1–2 tbsp of fresh raw chilli paste and a pinch of sugar to restore balance.
Paste is watery and separated after resting
The chillies were pounded too aggressively, releasing cell-wall water; or the fermented fish sauce used was too thin/liquid → Start with drier, less-ripe chillies; pound more quickly and less thoroughly; if separation occurs, fold in a small amount of toasted rice powder or mashed grilled eggplant to re-emulsify the texture.
Fish sauce dominance — overpowering saltiness obscuring the chilli and char
Pa daek with excessively high salt content was used, or added too aggressively without tasting incrementally; the fermented fish flavour eclipses the chilli → Add a small amount of lime juice and a pinch of sugar to round the salt; balance with additional pounded charred chilli. If available, thin the paste with a splash of water from charred shallots.
Grainy, unbroken garlic and shallot pieces distract from the paste
Insufficient pounding before adding the chillies; harder alliums were not adequately broken down and remain chunky and raw-tasting → Pound garlic and shallots for 2–3 full minutes with the pestle before adding chillies; use a circular grinding motion, not a chopping one.