Condiments
Nam jim
Nam jim is the sharp Thai dressing that goes with grilled seafood, chicken and steak. It's pounded rather than cooked, so it tastes very fresh: hot, sour, salty and sweet all at once.
Red cayenne gives it a clean, steady heat. Use green chillies for a sharper, grassier version, or add a Cheongyang if you want it hotter.
- Prep 10 min
- Makes about 150 ml
Ingredients
- 3 red cayenne chillies, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 coriander roots, or a small handful of coriander stems
- 2 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 80 ml lime juice
- 1 shallot, finely sliced
Method
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Step 1
Pound
Pound the chillies, garlic and coriander root to a rough paste in a mortar and pestle.
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Step 2
Dissolve
Add the sugar and pound until it dissolves.
-
Step 3
Season
Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice, then taste. It should be hot, sour and salty first, with some sweetness behind.
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Step 4
Finish
Stir through the shallot. Best used the same day.
Grow your own
The chillies in this recipe are easy to grow from seed in New Zealand.
