Prik nam pla or nam pla prik is a Thai condiment made with fish sauce, chopped chilies, and sliced garlic. It’s easy to make and enhances many dishes such as fried rice, garlic pork and pad kaprao.
Why We Love This Condiment
Prik nam pla is a table condiment that we consume pretty much with every meal without even thinking. If you go to a Thai restaurant or a dtam sang (made to order) vendor, I will say that 99% of the time, you will find a tiny bowl of prik nam pla on your table.
We love it because it adds that little something you never knew you needed. From fried rice to rice with a side like cabbage stir-fry, basil chicken or chicken panang curry, nam pla prik is sure to help boost the flavor in a dish.
Ingredients
Here is a visual overview of some of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
Ingredient Notes
Thai chilies: You don’t need to use both green and red but mixing the colors will make your prik nam pla look more appealing. And you want to chop them into pieces that are about 3 mm thick.
Lime slices: These are optional but again, they can help make the condiment look better 🙂
Instructions
- Slice the garlic crosswise, about 2 mm thick.
- Chop the chilies into pieces that are about 3 mm thick.
- Pour the fish sauce into a small bowl.
- Add the granulated sugar to the bowl and stir with a spoon until fully dissolved.
- Add the garlic, chilies, lime juice, lime slices (if using) and mix a spoon.
Serving and Storage
You can serve prik nam pla in a small bowl or container with a lid or sauce dish. It will stay good on your dining table for up to 2-3 days and remember to only use a communal spoon with it.
Related Recipes
📖 Recipe
Prik Nam Pla | Thai Chili Fish Sauce Condiment
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic
- 6 Thai chilies 3 red, 3 green
- 2 slices lime optional
- 4 tablespoons fish sauce
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
Instructions
- Slice the garlic crosswise, about 2 mm thick.
- Chop the chilies into pieces that are about 3 mm thick.
- Pour the fish sauce into a small bowl.
- Add the granulated sugar to the bowl and stir with a spoon until fully dissolved.
- Add the garlic, chilies, lime juice, lime slices (if using) and mix a spoon.
Notes
- You don’t need to use both green and red chilies but mixing the colors will make your prik nam pla look more appealing.
- Lime slices are optional but again, they can help make prik nam pla look better.
- It’s best to use a communal spoon with prik nam pla for hygenic reasons.