This Thai chili dipping sauce or nam jim jaew is sweet, sour and a little spicy and crunchy. It's very quick and easy to make and great with any type of grilled or fried meat, sticky rice, and fresh vegetables. If you're a fan of Thai food, you're definitely going to love this flavorful sauce!

Nam Jim Jaew

What Is Thai Chili Dipping Sauce or Nam Jim Jaew?

Nam jim jaew is a dipping sauce originating from the Isan or Northeastern region of Thailand. Though, you can easily find it throughout the country. People from that region move to different parts of Thailand. And a lot of them open an Isan restaurant or become a street food vendor selling Isan food. To many Thais, this sauce is a favorite because it's got everything you need. It's sour, sweet, spicy, and comes with a smoky flavor and crunchy texture. While a few other Thai sauces use fresh chilies, nam jim jaew is different in that it uses roasted Thai dried chili flakes or prik bon.

In this post, I'll explain what other ingredients you need, how to make nam jim jaew, and what you can enjoy it with.

INGREDIENTS

2 shallots
1 green onion
2 tablespoons of fish sauce
1 ½ tablespoons of granulated sugar
2 ½ tablespoons of lime juice
1 tablespoon of roasted Thai chili flakes
1 tablespoon of toasted rice powder

: Thai Chili Flakes

: Toasted Rice Powder

Notes on Thai Chili Flakes and Toasted Rice Powder

In order to make the best version of this Thai chili dipping sauce, I highly recommend you make your own toasted rice powder (khao kua) and Thai chili flakes (prik bon). You can click these links to visit my how-to guides and learn how to make them. As everyone's level of tolerance to spicy food is different, you can use more or less Thai chili flakes than suggested. Keep in mind that nam jim jaew isn't supposed to be super spicy. However, if that's what you like, then go for it!

As for the toasted rice powder, you can adjust the amount you want to use. This ingredient brings a crunchy texture and some thickness to the sauce. So, if you want your jaew sauce to be thicker, use more toasted rice powder. If you want it runnier, use less of it.

Instructions

Remove the root of the green onion and finely chop the rest.
Peel the shallots and thinly slice them.
Pour the fish sauce, lime juice, and granulated sugar into a bowl and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Add the chili flakes, toasted rice powder, chopped green onion, and sliced shallots and mix with a spoon. Enjoy the sauce with your main dish!

What Can You Eat with Jaew Dipping Sauce?

Usually, jaew dipping sauce is eaten with grilled and deep-fried meats. If you go to a somtam (papaya salad) stand or Isan restaurant and order grilled chicken, grilled catfish, grilled pork neck or grilled beef, they'll give you this sauce. Oftentimes, stuff enjoyed with jaew sauce is Isan food and accompanied by sticky rice. However, you can also enjoy it with steamed rice and dishes like:

How Long Can You Keep This Sauce?

As it contains fresh ingredients like shallots, green onion, and lime juice, this sauce is best when still fresh. If you let the sauce sit for a long time, the toasted rice powder will soak up the liquid and make the sauce dry and thicker.

📖 Recipe