Recipe - Nam Prik Makham Piag (Sour Tamarind Dip)

1 cup Makham piag (sour tamarind)
paste
One fourth cup Kung haeng (dried shrimp)
One fourth cup Hom daeng (shallots),
chopped
2 tablespoon Kratiem (garlic), chopped
2 tablespoon Nam pla (fish sauce)
1 tablespoon Prik ki nu haeng daeng
(dried red chilis)
1 teaspoon Kapi (fermented shrimp paste
1 teaspoon Nam tan paep (palm sugar)

This dip is made from mature, or brown, sour tamarind. This should be
peeled before use, and the fibrous strands within the pod, and the seeds of
the fruit discarded. You may also buy tamarind in a compressed block, and
this is equally suitable.

This recipe is an example of Thai unwillingness to let anything go to
waste: tamarind water is used as an ingredient of many dishes, and is
prepared as shown below. Yet this dip is something to use the tamarind
paste that otherwise might be discarded. In general we make tamarind juice
(nam makham piag), when we need to use it. All that is required is to store
the paste in a jar until you have enough to make the dip. However don't
make the mistake we did once of using a Tupperware container to store the
paste the tamarind stained it and we were never able to get it clean. Use
a glass preserving jar and keep it in the refrigerator.

Method: Place two tablespoons of tamarind paste (3 if the seeds are still
in place) in a jug, and pour 1 cup of boiling water over it. Leave to steep
for 15 minutes, then mash thoroughly and leave to steep for a further 15
minutes.

Pour the mixture through a muslin bag, and squeeze thoroughly to extract as
much juice as possible. The juice is nam makham piag (tamarind juice), and
may be used in other recipes. Ensure that you discard any remaining seeds
or fibrous material from the pulp and reserve it. You need 1 cup of
"exhausted" tamarind pulp for this recipe.

Pound the shrimp in a mortar and pestle.

Dry fry the chilis until aromatic, then crush.

Place the shallots and garlic, unskinned, under the grill or broiler, and
toast until aromatic and the skins begin to discolor, then peel and chop.
After preparation you should have the quantities listed.

Fry the shrimp paste in a very small amount of oil until aromatic.

Combine the ingredients and grind to a smooth paste in a mortar and pestle
(or food processor), then fold in the tamarind paste.

Serving & Storage: Accompanies fish dishes or vegetable crudit‚s. Will
keep 23 weeks in a refrigerator.
Posted to CHILEHEADS DIGEST V3 #148

Date: Sun, 03 Nov 1996 12:21:32 0700

From: "Colonel I.F.K. Philpott" colonel@korat1.vukorat.ac.th