Salsa Kitchen Green Chili?

[ricklev]

I visited Chiang Mai recently and really enjoyed several meals at Salsa Kitchen.  Kudos to the owner for creating a great restaurant!

 

Anybody know what the excellent green chili condiment they provide is?  Is it a common nam prik?  Maybe nam prik num without the fish sauce?

 

I asked the staff and they did refer to it as a nam prik but I couldn't catch what it was called.  

 

Thanks.

[Trujillo]

The one in the bottle or the one served as a condiment to dishes? 

[ricklev]

The one in the jar.  

[KhonKaenKowboy]

salsa verde is quite common.  It is made with tomatillos, which are close to unripened tomatoes.

Edited August 12, 2016 by KhonKaenKowboy

[ricklev]

It's not like any salsa verde I've ever had, as tomatillos don't have that texture.  It's not really a salsa.  I could be wrong though.

 

I think the owner is intelligently using a common local green chile used in a prepared nam prik.  Not sure if he is just buying it or making it himself.  I'm hoping it's just a common Chiang Mai or Northern nam prik that I can buy in Bangkok.

Edited August 12, 2016 by ricklev

[KhonKaenKowboy]

salsa verde does have some similarities to the green sauce the Thais use.....they could almost be interchangeable, especially in appearance.  The Thais and Mexicans are way more similar than either would want to admit....same with food.  A guy told me he once toured Mexico with a Thai Mariachi Band...quite a few folks never knew they were Thai.

Edited August 12, 2016 by KhonKaenKowboy

[dcnx]

Love me some Salsa Kitchen.

[lgking]

"The Thais and Mexicans are way more similar than either would want to admit."

 

Nonsense! I lived and worked in Mexico for a year (La Paz, Guadalajara, Mexico, Oaxaca). Have also lived in LOS many years. 

 

Now, if you are talking about 'lazy', you may have a point.

[doctorbailey]

I believe it is nam prik num, which would loosely translate to fresh chili pepper sauce or salsa. I like it because it doesn't have too much fish sauce. It is a common condiment with Chiang Mai tapas or kantoke and would be served with deep fried pork rinds, steamed vegetables, Chiang Mai sausage, and a red salsa as well.

 

You can find the little jars at OTOP shops in the airport in Chiang Mai, Khon Kean, in some of the bigger PTT service centers in the North and also some between Saraburi and Khon Kean with the OTOP shops or other regional tourist shops. Look for places selling pork rinds, Chiang Mai sausage, Isan sausage, and other regional foods. You can also find it in some of the more up market grocery stores like Tops, Foodland, Villa Market. I have seen it in Pattaya and over in Chantaburi as well.

 

Great on eggs, in omelettes, as the Thais do with the pork rinds and steamed vegetables, as a salsa, on a burger, and anything else. Best of luck with the search. 

[kaptainrob]

Our favourite nam prik num comes from the Talad Mai Hia sai oua man.  We believe his green chili (large long ones) are first roasted and skinned before crushing in a krok (mortar/pestle) with a little salt and sugar added. Superb!

[smotherb]

On 8/12/2016 at 11:20 AM, KhonKaenKowboy said:

salsa verde does have some similarities to the green sauce the Thais use.....they could almost be interchangeable, especially in appearance.  The Thais and Mexicans are way more similar than either would want to admit....same with food.  A guy told me he once toured Mexico with a Thai Mariachi Band...quite a few folks never knew they were Thai.

Once knew a Mexican hooker in Bangkok, there wasn't  much difference.

[KhonKaenKowboy]

19 minutes ago, smotherb said:

Once knew a Mexican hooker in Bangkok, there wasn't  much difference.

They always have that guilty look, of a "good" Catholic girl.  The missionaries taught them well....not.

[ricklev]

Well, Paragon was out of fresh nam prik num.  They have a really nice selection of 30 or so nam priks in buckets.

 

However they did have some in small jars along with the bags of pork rinds.  It's a bit smokier than Salsa Kitchen's.  I'm guessing they add some grilled eggplant to the one in the jar.

 

This looks a little disgusting but was really good.  Guacamole from Khao Yai avocados.