This classic chili paste is super versatile. We use it in the famous tom yum goong soup, we add it to stir-fries like this classic cashew chicken, and we even use it in a salad dressing like in this wing bean salad! We also use it simply as a spread on toast, sometimes as part of a sandwich, but really, use it in whatever way you can think of!
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Ingredients
Here are all the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe. For amounts, check out the full recipe card below.
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- Dried chilies (I use spur chilies, but you can use any type of mild dried chilies)
- Dried shrimp
- Garlic, whole, peeled
- Shallots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- Tamarind paste, also labelled as "tamarind concentrate". Make sure it is a product of Thailand which should come as a brown liquid. Indian "tamarind concentrates," which are a sticky, black paste, are much more concentrated and the same amount cannot be used for this recipe. You can also make your own tamarind paste from pulp.
- Salt
- Fish sauce
- Palm sugar, finely chopped, packed
- Shrimp paste, optional
- Vegetable oil. In commercial versions of this paste, more oil is typically used to the point where there is always a thick layer of oil that it on top of the paste. I don't like to add that much, but if you want to replicate the "traditional" style feel free to add more oil.
How to Make Thai Chili Paste/Chili Jam - Nam Prik Pao
Here are all the steps to make this recipe. If this is your first time, I highly recommend watching the video tutorial to ensure success.
- If dried chilies feel dusty, dunk them for just a few seconds in cold water and dry them off on paper towel. Cut them into large chunks with scissors and remove the seeds and pith to reduce spiciness.
- If you want a spicier chili paste, you can leave some of the seeds in.
- Toast the dried chilies in a dry saute pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until they are charred in some spots and smell smoky.
- Remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan, add garlic and shallots and toast, stirring constantly, until they are charred. Remove from pan.
- In a coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle, grind dried chilies into a powder. Add dried shrimp and grind until fine.
- In a food processor or a blender, add all ingredients except the oil and grind into a fine paste.
- If it needs more liquid to grind properly, add some or all of the oil. If using a food processor, scrape the sides down occasionally.
- Transfer the chili paste into a pot or a wok along with any remaining vegetable oil. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 10-12 minutes to cook the herbs and to thicken the paste to a desired consistency.
- If you are making a large batch, it will take more time to cook.
- Store in a glass jar, and it'll keep in the fridge for a few months or in the freezer indefinitely.
- Use as a spread on crackers, toast, burgers and sandwiches, or use in any of these recipes: Cashew Chicken, Tom Yum Goong, Shrimp & Chili Paste Stir-Fry, Roast Pork Salad, Thai Tuna Salad, Wing Bean Salad
Thai Chili Paste/Chili Jam - Nam Prik Pao
- Yield: ⅔ cup
Ingredients
- 8-10 large dried chilies (I use spur chilies, but you can use any type of mild dried chilies)
- 2 Tbsp dried shrimp
- 10 cloves garlic, whole, peeled
- 4 heads shallots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2-3 tablespoon tamarind paste, store bought or homemade (see note 1)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- 3 Tbsp palm sugar, finely chopped, packed
- ¼ tsp shrimp paste, optional
- ¼ cup vegetable oil (see note 2)
Want to save this recipe?
We can email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Instructions
If dried chilies feel dusty, dunk them for just a few seconds in cold water and dry them off on paper towel. Cut them into large chunks with scissors and remove the seeds and pith to reduce spiciness. If you want a spicier chili paste, you can leave some of the seeds in.
Toast the dried chilies in a dry saute pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until they are charred in some spots and smell smoky. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same pan, add garlic and shallots and toast, stirring constantly, until they are charred. Remove from pan.
In a coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle, grind dried chilies into a powder. Add dried shrimp and grind until fine.
In a food processor or a blender, add all ingredients except the oil and grind into a fine paste. If it needs more liquid to grind properly, add some or all of the oil. If using a food processor, scrape the sides down occasionally.
Transfer the chili paste into a pot or a wok along with any remaining vegetable oil. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for about 10-12 minutes to cook the herbs and to thicken the paste to a desired consistency. If you are making a large batch, it will take more time to cook.
Store in a glass jar, and it'll keep in the fridge for a few months or in the freezer indefinitely. Use as a spread on crackers, toast, burgers and sandwiches, or use in any of these recipes: Cashew Chicken, Tom Yum Goong, Shrimp & Chili Paste Stir-Fry, Roast Pork Salad, Thai Tuna Salad, Wing Bean Salad
Notes
- When buying tamarind paste, it can sometimes be labelled as "tamarind concentrate," but make sure it is a product of Thailand which should come as a brown liquid. Indian "tamarind concentrates" are much more concentrated and the same amount cannot be used for this recipe.
- In commercial versions of this paste, more oil is typically used to the point where there is always a thick layer of oil that it on top of the paste. I don't like to add that much, but if you want to replicate the "traditional" style feel free to add more oil.
Barbara Hallett Wegner says
Can I use tamarind paste and maybe dilute it. Or do you think it's best to buy the tamarind and soak them for the juice. If I can use the paste what would you recommend
Pailin Chongchitnant says
My apologies for the confusion. The tamarind called for is Thai tamarind paste which you can buy in a tub ready-to-use, or make it from pulp (recipe linked in the ingredient list). I used to use the term "tamarind juice" but this caused confusion so I have since changed to calling it tamarind paste, but some older recipes still use the same terminology.
Barbara says
First time I made a dish with the jam was your shrimp and veggie recipe, I purchased the jam online as I can not find it around here and it was $9.00 for a 4oz jar. So made it with your recipe. THIS IS GOLD!!
What other dishes can I make with this other than the ones you mention.
My family loved the shrimp dish so much they keep asking for me to make it any. So I made the jam now have a ton as I doubled the recipe.
Justin says
Thai chili jam is by far my favorite thing to make in bulk. I like the dry roasting of herbals and have done something nearly identical to this but recently have been going the frying method:
70g dried long chilies (I can only get Indian where I am, once brought a bunch of fresh spur from Thailand and dried them on my balcony), stemmed and toasted most seeds removed, spice grinder when cooled
130g garlic sliced and fried til golden
170 g shallots sliced and friend til golden
5 stalks lemongrass sliced and fried til golden
50 g dried shrimp flash fried
Spice grind all fried stuff once cooled
40g shrimp paste
400 g palm sugar
.5 cup tamarind juice
.5 cup fish sauce
2 tsp toasted cumin
2 tsp toasted coriander
2 tsp white pepper
2 toasted star anise
Blitz the dry spices
Add everything to blender with 2 cups of water and go as long as you can
Add to 1cup oil in pot and simmer on low slightly covered for like an hour until super jammy with a little lair of oil on top!
The dried spices and lemongrass just give it a little something something
Justine Dadkhah says
Can this be bought ready made from the store?
Paul says
I made this for my Tom Yum soup. Your instructions and video make it so easy. Thank you very much.
William says
I have made this recipe several times, but notice that the Thai chili paste recipe in your recent book Sabai has increased the amount of fermented shrimp paste from 1/4 tsp to 1 tsp. Given the concentrated nature of this ingredient which do you recommend?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Because the recipe in Sabai is a much bigger portion 🙂 The amount is the same proportionally.
Jo Mercer says
I used dried pasillo negro chiles (mild and already roasted)to great effect. I also substituted the Indian-style tamarind paste I had on hand, but only about a generous teaspoon plus 4 tablespoons of water.
I made thiis today to use in Pai's Tom Yum Pizza on Friday's Pizza Night!
Charles Pascual says
I've made this twice now - the first time to use in one of your recipes & this second time because I came across a recipe on another site that calls for it, with the usual link to purchase the prepared product on Amazon (to which I said, "nah, I can make this"). My go-to Thai-Viet market carries only fresh chiles, so I use a mix of mild & fruity, Mexican chiles - guajillo, ancho, pasilla, Morita - I don't know whether this makes my Nam Prik Pao non-authentic, but it tastes good to me. As you suggested, I tried this as "jam" on toasted English muffins (crumpets to you outside the US) and became addicted - I finished off the first batch this way in a few days. I expect this current batch will also end up this way too, after I use what I need in my recipe tonight. Thanks, Pailin.
Václav Š. says
How much do the chillies amount to in terms of volume once ground up? I don't have whole chillies, but I want to try the recipe using gochugaru.
Thank you for your answer. I cannot wait to try your tom yum goong recipe.
Václav Š. says
As I said, I could not wait to try. In the video it looks like a quarter cup, maybe more. I went ahead with a quarter cup or 20 grams of gochugaru and it turned out nice.
Pailin Chongchitnant says
You beat me to it, but 20g is exactly what you needed so good estimation!
Kal says
Could not find a local source of Spur chillies so I used Dried Anaheim aka California chillies and regular Red Onion came out great
Poonam says
I am allergic to shrimps.. what can replace this in the recipe?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
You can replace it with some bonito flakes, crush it up so it measures easily in a tablespoon, and omit the shrimp paste or use miso paste instead.
Dave S says
Pai
I made this tonight and just realized I left out the tamarind juice. Can this be added in after this is all done? What would you suggest?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Answered you on Patreon! 🙂
Ifreet Taheea says
This is legit the OG jam recipe esp. for spice lovers. Goes soo well with toasted sourdough! Tried many recipes but keep coming back to this one.
Adam The HTK Intern says
Thanks! 🙂
Kim says
What premade brand of chili sauce do you recommend for those who don’t have time to make this? Thanks for all your recipes!!
Hendrik says
Yeah, that's what I'd like to know, too. I have the option of pantai or maepranom, and their ingredients read quite different.
Lisa says
Hi, really love all of your recipes.
But I just wondering, can I use fresh chillies in this recipe, instead of dry chillies? Cause fresh chillies are easier to find in my home. Thank you and happy cooking.
Adam The HTK Minion says
She says not for this one. Cheers!
Quin says
Made this to go with tomyam Goong. Oh it made all the difference. Yummmmmmssss
Megha says
Hi, I'm vegetarian. Would leaving the shrimps out work? Or would that change flavor profile? Are they any substitute for it?
Thanks
Pailin Chongchitnant says
It will still work if you leave it out, but it will lack umami, so try taking some dried shiitake mushrooms and finely grate for blitz it in a food processor into small pieces and add it in. I haven't done it myself but I think it should work!
NT says
Do you think mushroom broth powder would work as well, or dark miso? Thanks very much!
Pailin Chongchitnant says
I think both of those options are worth a try! Though because they are salty, you'd need to reduce the amount of salt (fish sauce in this case) in the recipe.
Luke Parlor says
Easy to make and very tasty paste/jam that adds a beautiful favour to just about anything you choose to add it to.