Nam Prik Pao (Thai Red Chilli Paste) Recipe

• 4 tablespoons of Peanut Oil
• 6 - 8 cloves of Garlic
• 6 Asian Shallots
• 6 - 8 medium fresh Thai Red Chillies
• 1 tablespoon fermented Shrimp Paste
• 1 tablespoon Fish Sauce
• 2 teaspoons of Brown Sugar

Peel the garlic cloves and shallots and chop and crush them finely. Slice the chillies finely. Heat a frypan heat and add one tablespoon of the oil, add the minced garlic and shallots and fry briefly. Remove from the heat and scrape them into a bowland set aside. In another tablespoon of the oil, add the chillies to the pan and fry until they just start to change colour, then remove them and set aside.

With a mortar and pestle pound the shrimp paste, add the chillies, garlic and shallots, blending each in before adding the next. Then over a low heat, return all the ingredients to the pan with the remaining oil, and fold until the mixture resembles a thick oily red/black paste, uniform in colour and texture.

This paste keeps almost indefinitely and is used to add a depth of taste to many Thai dishes, curries and soups.