History

Nam prik is the backbone of the northern meal, a chilli relish eaten with sticky rice and vegetables rather than as a sauce. Nam prik noom uses mild long green chillies roasted over flame until the skins blister, then pounded with charred garlic and shallot, fish sauce and lime into a soft, smoky, spoonable paste. It is almost always served alongside nam prik ong, a tomato-and-pork red version, with a platter of steamed and raw vegetables, crisp pork crackling (khaep moo) and a basket of sticky rice. Together they define the shared, hands-on rhythm of a Lanna table.

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Common allergens: Fish, Shellfish

Make it at home

Yield Serves 4 as a dipHands-on 25 minTotal 35 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 8 mild long green chillies
  • 4 shallots, unpeeled
  • 6 garlic cloves, unpeeled
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • Sticky rice, pork crackling and steamed vegetables, to serve

Method

  1. Char the chillies, shallots and garlic over an open flame or under a hot grill until blackened and soft.
  2. Peel away the burnt skins and stems.
  3. Pound in a mortar to a coarse, soft paste, or pulse briefly in a blender.
  4. Season with fish sauce and lime and adjust to taste.
  5. Serve at room temperature with sticky rice, crackling and vegetables for dipping.

Tip from the editors. Chase the smoky flavour by charring the aromatics hard; a little burnt skin left in the pounding is traditional, not a mistake.

Where to eat nam prik noom

Nam prik noom in Chiang Mai

Huen Phen ★ 4.5

฿฿ Northern ThaiOld City

A 50-year Old City institution south of Wat Chedi Luang, serving a full Lanna spread by day and a candlelit antique-crammed dinner room by night.

SignatureKhao soi, Nam prik ong, Gaeng hang lay

Directions

Huen Muan Jai ★ 4.6

฿฿ Northern ThaiChang Phueak

A garden Lanna house and longtime Michelin Bib Gourmand, plating northern curries, herb sausage and smoky chili dips under its wooden garden pavilions.

SignatureGaeng hang lay, Sai ua, Nam prik noom

Directions

Tong Tem Toh ★ 4.3

฿฿ Northern ThaiNimman

The teak-and-brick Nimman courtyard where students and tourists queue for a broad northern menu of herb sausage, chili dips and sticky rice.

SignatureSai ua, Nam prik ong, Grilled pork neck

Directions

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