Nam Jim Jaew: Thai Chili Dipping Sauce
You make this sauce to wake up grilled steak, pork, or skewers. The texture comes from the crunch of dry-toasted rice that has been ground down, which absorbs the sauce and adds a subtle nuttiness.
The toast is the transformation.
Do not skip toasting the raw jasmine rice. The raw grains are hard and bitter, but once toasted to a deep golden brown, they become fragrant and crumbly.
- Small skillet
- Mortar and pestle (or coffee grinder)
- Small mixing bowl
What goes in.
- 1 tbspuncooked jasmine rice
- 3 tbspfish sauce
- 2 tbspfresh lime juice
- 1 tsppalm sugar, finely chopped
- 1 tbspdried chili flakes
- 2 tbspshallots, minced
- 2 tbspfresh cilantro, chopped
Creating the crunch
Toast the rice grains in a dry pan over medium heat until they turn deep amber, not just tan. Once cool, grind them into a coarse, sandy powder.
The method.
Toast the rice
Place raw rice in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat. Shake the pan constantly until the grains turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 5-7 minutes. Remove immediately.
Grind the rice
Let the grains cool completely. Use a mortar and pestle to grind them into a coarse, uneven powder. Some larger bits should remain for texture.
Dissolve the sugar
In a small bowl, whisk the fish sauce, lime juice, and palm sugar together until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Combine
Add the chili flakes, minced shallots, and the toasted rice powder to the liquid. Stir well.
Finish
Fold in the chopped cilantro just before serving. Taste; it should be sharp, salty, and spicy.
Other turns to take.
Tamarind version
Replace half of the lime juice with tamarind concentrate for a deeper, earthier sour note.
Extra heat
Add one fresh bird's eye chili, finely sliced, for a sharper, more immediate heat compared to the dried flakes.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Make this sauce no more than 30 minutes before serving, as the rice powder will eventually soften and lose its crunch.
If your fish sauce is particularly pungent, a small splash of water can mellow the intensity without losing the salt profile.
Use a mortar and pestle for the rice; it creates a superior texture that a food processor cannot replicate.
The ones that keep coming up.
Can I use cooked rice for the powder?
No. The rice must be raw to achieve the correct crunchy, toasted texture.
What if I cannot find palm sugar?
Brown sugar is an acceptable substitute, though it lacks the slight caramel undertone of palm sugar.
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