Naam prik - where is the good stuff?

[digbeth]

I am well into my third decade as a Pattaya resident and have been to a huge amount of restaurants but since I will never get to visit all the eateries in Pattaya I am asking this forum. Naam prik is not a ubiquitous dish - in fact it's relatively rare.

Maybe because it isnt the sort of thing that Thais would eat in a restaurant?

We get it all the time in the free Buddha day meals in my condo building, and it also figures in just about every Thai buffet or Thai home meal I have ever seen.

But like plain toast it's not the sort of thing you would ever order in a restaurant (unless you're one of the Blues Brothers).

Interesting point. Maybe you're right.

I'm sure they're available in markets to take home and such

[MZurf]

I am well into my third decade as a Pattaya resident and have been to a huge amount of restaurants but since I will never get to visit all the eateries in Pattaya I am asking this forum. Naam prik is not a ubiquitous dish - in fact it's relatively rare.

Maybe because it isnt the sort of thing that Thais would eat in a restaurant?

We get it all the time in the free Buddha day meals in my condo building, and it also figures in just about every Thai buffet or Thai home meal I have ever seen.

But like plain toast it's not the sort of thing you would ever order in a restaurant (unless you're one of the Blues Brothers).

Interesting point. Maybe you're right.

I'm sure they're available in markets to take home and such

Yes, they are. There's a market just a few hundred metres from where I live where I can get fairly decent naam prik, but the reason for this topic was to find out if anyone had knowledge of really good naam prik served in restaurants.

[Rimmer]

A post in Thai has been removed

[DD13]

Why is this being discussed ???

Today is Sunday Roast Day isn't it ????

[Seligne2]

From Wikipedia:

"Nam phrik (Thai: น้ำพริก, pronounced [nám pʰrík], lit. "fluid chili") is a generic term that may refer to any of the types of more or less viscous, spicy, chili-based, hot sauces typical of Thai cuisine. Usual ingredients for nam phrik are fresh or dry chilies, garlic, shallots, lime juice and often some kind of fish or shrimp paste. In the traditional way of preparing the sauce, the ingredients are pounded together using a mortar and pestle, with either salt or fish sauce added to taste.

Nam phrik is normally served on small saucers placed by the main dish as a condiment or dip for bland preparations, such as raw or boiled greens, fish, poultry and meats. Depending on the type, the region and the family that prepares it, nam phrik may vary in texture from a liquid to a paste to an almost dry, granular, or powdery consistency.

Instead of khrueang kaeng or phrik kaeng, the words nam phrik can also be used to denote Thai curry pastes such as in nam phrik kaeng som for kaeng som^[1] or nam phrik kaeng phet for kaeng phet" (emphasis added).

100% of all foreigners and 99% of all Thais refer to the fish sauce condiment with chilies and garlic and perhaps other ingredients as "nam prik". You can juxtapose the words -- "nam prik" to "prik nam" -- and add "pla" to make it sound like something different, but everyone refers to the fish sauce condiment as "nam prik". And if you asked for "nam prik" in a restaurant, they would bring the stuff in the second picture, not the first (unless you were pointing to something in a menu with pictures, which may be how you normally order your food). If you were looking for something specific, you should have specified what it was, "naam prik" wouldn't get you close. So, your first post was grossly inadequate; your second post was just plain stupid. No "foot in mouth" here.

Also from Wikipedia: "A Thai cook book from 1974 lists over 100 different recipes.^[10] Among the most widespread varieties, the following deserve mention:

• Nam phrik kapi (Thai: น้ำพริกกะปิ) is one of the most widespread varieties and is typical of central Thailand. It is often eaten with fried pla thu and vegetables, among other dishes.^[11]

• Nam phrik kha (Thai: น้ำพริกข่า) is made with roasted chilies, garlic, galangal and salt. This northern Thai specialty is often served as a dip for steamed mushrooms.^[12]

• Nam phrik long ruea (Thai: น้ำพริกลงเรือ; lit. "In the boat chili paste") is an elaborate fried nam phrik using several kinds of fruits such as Garcinia schomburgkiana and Solanum ferox, dried shrimp, sweet pork, and shrimp paste in addition to chilies, garlic and sugar. It is eaten with salted duck egg, fresh greens, and, for instance, sliced Zedoary ("white turmeric").

• Nam phrik maeng da (Thai: น้ำพริกแมงดา) incorporates roasted and pounded maeng da (Lethocerus indicus, a kind of Giant water bug) for its specific taste.^[13]

• Nam phrik narok (Thai: น้ำพริกนรก) literally translates to "chili paste from hell". It is made with dried chilies, shrimp paste, catfish, shallots, garlic, fish sauce and sugar.^[14]

• Nam phrik num (Thai: น้ำพริกหนุ่ม), a thick northern specialty based on roasted green chilies, onion and garlic, is usually eaten along with vegetables, pork cracklings, and sticky rice.^[15]

• Nam phrik ong (Thai: น้ำพริกอ่อง) is a traditional specialty of northern Thailand made with minced pork and tomato.^[16]

• Nam phrik phao (Thai: น้ำพริกเผา) is sweetened with sugar and, among other ingredients, roasted chilies and tamarind.^[17][18] It is popular as a spread on bread or toast. It can also be used as an ingredient, for instance in tom yum or in the Thai salad with squid called phla pla muek.^[19]

• Nam phrik pla ching chang (Thai: น้ำพริกปลาฉิ้งฉ้าง) is based on small, local anchovies (Stolephorus) popular in Phuket.^[20]

• Nam phrik pla ra (Thai: น้ำพริกปลาร้า) is made with pla ra as one of the main ingredients. Like most types of nam phrik, a little water is used if the mixture becomes too thick.^[21]

• Nam phrik pla salat pon (น้ำพริกปลาสลาดป่น), also known as phrik pla salat pon, is a variety of nam phrik with powdered, roasted, dry pla salat (Notopterus notopterus). All main ingredients (the dry fish, red dry chili and garlic) are previously roasted until crunchy. Shrimp paste and sugar are also added, and the mixture is pounded with a mortar and pestle. It is eaten with raw vegetables, and is popular in Khorat.^[22]

• Nam phrik pla yang (Thai: น้ำพริกปลาย่าง) is mainly minced, grilled fish, usually pla chon, mixed with onion, garlic, powdered chili, tamarind, shrimp paste, fish sauce and sugar.^[23]
• Nam phrik tai pla (น้ำพริกไตปลา),^[24] one of its main ingredients is tai pla, a sauce used in the southern Thai cuisine made with the fermented innards of the short-bodied mackerel."

Note that each one is "nam prik" and each is further identified as to its type. Not sure which one you are looking for (or if it is even there ("nam prik num" or "nam prik ong"?)), but what ever it is, it is "nam prik [xxxx]". But, given that you probably rely on pictures and not words, your excused. And given your very limited understanding of words and how to use them, I suggest you use pictures in your posts in the future. Good luck in finding "the good stuff". Next.............

You really should have just eaten crow and let this one go as you clearly don't know what the heck you're talking about. Have you ever been to Thailand or is your "knowledge" restricted to what you can find on Wikipedia?

"100% of all foreigners and 99% of all Thais refer to the fish sauce condiment with chilies and garlic and perhaps other ingredients as "nam prik"."

Again, you really shouldn't open your mouth when talking about things you are obviously clueless about since your foot seems to get stuck in it.

I will point out that Wikipedia articles on Thailand are written mostly by people who live in Thailand and work hard at being accurate.

[AlQaholic]

Market opposite the temple south Pattaya road. Choices are limitless.

[MZurf]

From Wikipedia:

"Nam phrik (Thai: น้ำพริก, pronounced [nám pʰrík], lit. "fluid chili") is a generic term that may refer to any of the types of more or less viscous, spicy, chili-based, hot sauces typical of Thai cuisine. Usual ingredients for nam phrik are fresh or dry chilies, garlic, shallots, lime juice and often some kind of fish or shrimp paste. In the traditional way of preparing the sauce, the ingredients are pounded together using a mortar and pestle, with either salt or fish sauce added to taste.

Nam phrik is normally served on small saucers placed by the main dish as a condiment or dip for bland preparations, such as raw or boiled greens, fish, poultry and meats. Depending on the type, the region and the family that prepares it, nam phrik may vary in texture from a liquid to a paste to an almost dry, granular, or powdery consistency.

Instead of khrueang kaeng or phrik kaeng, the words nam phrik can also be used to denote Thai curry pastes such as in nam phrik kaeng som for kaeng som^[1] or nam phrik kaeng phet for kaeng phet" (emphasis added).

100% of all foreigners and 99% of all Thais refer to the fish sauce condiment with chilies and garlic and perhaps other ingredients as "nam prik". You can juxtapose the words -- "nam prik" to "prik nam" -- and add "pla" to make it sound like something different, but everyone refers to the fish sauce condiment as "nam prik". And if you asked for "nam prik" in a restaurant, they would bring the stuff in the second picture, not the first (unless you were pointing to something in a menu with pictures, which may be how you normally order your food). If you were looking for something specific, you should have specified what it was, "naam prik" wouldn't get you close. So, your first post was grossly inadequate; your second post was just plain stupid. No "foot in mouth" here.

Also from Wikipedia: "A Thai cook book from 1974 lists over 100 different recipes.^[10] Among the most widespread varieties, the following deserve mention:

• Nam phrik kapi (Thai: น้ำพริกกะปิ) is one of the most widespread varieties and is typical of central Thailand. It is often eaten with fried pla thu and vegetables, among other dishes.^[11]

• Nam phrik kha (Thai: น้ำพริกข่า) is made with roasted chilies, garlic, galangal and salt. This northern Thai specialty is often served as a dip for steamed mushrooms.^[12]

• Nam phrik long ruea (Thai: น้ำพริกลงเรือ; lit. "In the boat chili paste") is an elaborate fried nam phrik using several kinds of fruits such as Garcinia schomburgkiana and Solanum ferox, dried shrimp, sweet pork, and shrimp paste in addition to chilies, garlic and sugar. It is eaten with salted duck egg, fresh greens, and, for instance, sliced Zedoary ("white turmeric").

• Nam phrik maeng da (Thai: น้ำพริกแมงดา) incorporates roasted and pounded maeng da (Lethocerus indicus, a kind of Giant water bug) for its specific taste.^[13]

• Nam phrik narok (Thai: น้ำพริกนรก) literally translates to "chili paste from hell". It is made with dried chilies, shrimp paste, catfish, shallots, garlic, fish sauce and sugar.^[14]

• Nam phrik num (Thai: น้ำพริกหนุ่ม), a thick northern specialty based on roasted green chilies, onion and garlic, is usually eaten along with vegetables, pork cracklings, and sticky rice.^[15]

• Nam phrik ong (Thai: น้ำพริกอ่อง) is a traditional specialty of northern Thailand made with minced pork and tomato.^[16]

• Nam phrik phao (Thai: น้ำพริกเผา) is sweetened with sugar and, among other ingredients, roasted chilies and tamarind.^[17][18] It is popular as a spread on bread or toast. It can also be used as an ingredient, for instance in tom yum or in the Thai salad with squid called phla pla muek.^[19]

• Nam phrik pla ching chang (Thai: น้ำพริกปลาฉิ้งฉ้าง) is based on small, local anchovies (Stolephorus) popular in Phuket.^[20]

• Nam phrik pla ra (Thai: น้ำพริกปลาร้า) is made with pla ra as one of the main ingredients. Like most types of nam phrik, a little water is used if the mixture becomes too thick.^[21]

• Nam phrik pla salat pon (น้ำพริกปลาสลาดป่น), also known as phrik pla salat pon, is a variety of nam phrik with powdered, roasted, dry pla salat (Notopterus notopterus). All main ingredients (the dry fish, red dry chili and garlic) are previously roasted until crunchy. Shrimp paste and sugar are also added, and the mixture is pounded with a mortar and pestle. It is eaten with raw vegetables, and is popular in Khorat.^[22]

• Nam phrik pla yang (Thai: น้ำพริกปลาย่าง) is mainly minced, grilled fish, usually pla chon, mixed with onion, garlic, powdered chili, tamarind, shrimp paste, fish sauce and sugar.^[23]
• Nam phrik tai pla (น้ำพริกไตปลา),^[24] one of its main ingredients is tai pla, a sauce used in the southern Thai cuisine made with the fermented innards of the short-bodied mackerel."

Note that each one is "nam prik" and each is further identified as to its type. Not sure which one you are looking for (or if it is even there ("nam prik num" or "nam prik ong"?)), but what ever it is, it is "nam prik [xxxx]". But, given that you probably rely on pictures and not words, your excused. And given your very limited understanding of words and how to use them, I suggest you use pictures in your posts in the future. Good luck in finding "the good stuff". Next.............

You really should have just eaten crow and let this one go as you clearly don't know what the heck you're talking about. Have you ever been to Thailand or is your "knowledge" restricted to what you can find on Wikipedia?

"100% of all foreigners and 99% of all Thais refer to the fish sauce condiment with chilies and garlic and perhaps other ingredients as "nam prik"."

Again, you really shouldn't open your mouth when talking about things you are obviously clueless about since your foot seems to get stuck in it.

I will point out that Wikipedia articles on Thailand are written mostly by people who live in Thailand and work hard at being accurate.

Thank you for pointing that out. I see that you say "mostly" so I guess this entry was made by someone not residing here.

"100% of all foreigners and 99% of all Thais refer to the fish sauce condiment with chilies and garlic and perhaps other ingredients as "nam prik"."

This is simply not true - plain and simple.