Nam Prik Phao

Thailand has some wonderfull food, but it also has some nasty tasting food and to someone not that familiar it can be daunting. This paste I have found is a sure fire way to make tasty chicken, pork or shrimp stir fries that are authentic and taste very good indeed. The recipe was originally from the Blue Elephant, but I have modified and adapted it a lot to my taste.

2 Large red chillis dried preferred but otherwise fresh
2 tbpns oil
6 garlic cloves
1 onion
2 tspn shrimp paste
1 tbpns palm sugar or brown
1 tbspn fish sauce
1 tbspn tamarind paste

Fry gently in a pan the chopped chillis, garlic and onion until they lightly brown. Add the shrimp paste and fry until it seperates (strong smell beware). Let cool and then blend with other ingredients to a thick fragrant paste. Return to pan and fry for a couple of minutes and then bottle

Use 1 tbpn or more of this paste which keeps in the fridge for a few months to a pan with oil hot and let it warm and become fragrant, then add thinly sliced chicken pork or some shrimps and thinly sliced vegetables, carrots, celery, sweet peppers, baby corn, for a delicious meal.I usually add 1 tbspn of oyster sauce and one of soy for salt and taste.