Thai cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Nam Prik Kha

Northern Thai dip of roasted galangal, garlic and chili, served with a platter of steamed vegetables.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 60 g galangal (fresh)
• 10 garlic cloves
• 8 dried red chilies
• 1 tbsp shrimp paste (kapi)
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp palm sugar
• 400 g mushrooms (e.g. oyster mushrooms)
• 300 g green beans
• 200 g white cabbage
• 1 eggplant

Instructions

1. Peel the galangal, cut into thin slices and roast in a dry pan over medium heat with the garlic cloves and seeded chilies for 8–10 min. until everything has dark spots and smells intense.
2. Wrap the shrimp paste in foil and roast along for 4 min. so it loses its raw sharpness.
3. Pound galangal, garlic and chilies with a pinch of salt in a mortar to a fine paste – the tough galangal needs the most patience.
4. Work in the roasted shrimp paste and season with fish sauce and palm sugar until the dip tastes spicy-savory and slightly sweet.
5. Trim the beans, cut the white cabbage into wide strips and the eggplant into wedges, break up the mushrooms; steam everything for 6–8 min. until the vegetables are tender-crisp and vividly colored.
6. Arrange the warm vegetables on a platter and set the dip in a bowl in the middle.