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The Basics

While traveling throughout Thailand you will notice that all of the restaurant tables are filled with various condiments from fish sauce to vinegar and chili sauce. You see, Thai people like to pour a “little of this here” and top with “a little of that there” until they’ve created their perfect balance of sweet, sour, hot, and salty, according to their palate and whim for the day.

This is a collection of some basic sauces and condiments that can be used to enhance flavors while cooking or as a condiment such as Roasted Red Chili Paste (page 23) or popular dipping sauces like Sweet Thai Chili Sauce (page 24) and Hoisin Peanut Sauce (page 25). I’ve also included basic recipes which are the backbone of popular Thai recipes like Basic Curry Sauce (page 26) or Basic Chicken Stock (page 26). The variety of sauces and dips in Thai cuisine is far and wide so this is by no means a comprehensive collection. I believe what I offer here will give you the flexibility to “add little bit here” and “a little bit there” to satisfy your budding Thai palate as well as letting you improvise with the recipes in this book.

Ginger Lime Dipping Sauce

This refreshing dip is a fantastic accompaniment to the Chiang Mai Chicken in Lettuce Cups (page 34). It’s the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and hot flavors. If you like a lot of heat, then skip the deseeding but watch your tongue!

MAKES 1 CUP (250 ML)

PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES

½ cup (125 ml) water

½ cup (100 g) sugar

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

1 teaspoon rice vinegar or white vinegar

2 teaspoons fish sauce (nam pla)

1 fresh hot red or green pepper, preferably Thai, deseeded and finely sliced

Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cool slightly. Mix ¼ cup (65 ml) of the syrup with the ginger, lime juice, vinegar, fish sauce, and chili in a small bowl. Transfer to a small serving bowl. Discard the remaining syrup.

COOK’S NOTE: If you can’t find Thai chilies, I recommend using jalapeño or Serrano chilies.

Roasted Red Chili Paste (Nam Prik Pao)

Roasted Red Chili Paste, or Nam Prik Pao adds an amazing ”je ne sais quoi” to stir-fry dishes, soups and anything that can use an added rich and complex kick in the pants. Once I started experimenting with this jam-like sauce, I couldn’t seem to get enough of it and love having it on hand. It’s my secret weapon for creating mouth-watering Thai dishes and will soon be yours too. Increase the amount of ground red pepper (cayenne) if you want extra heat. Fermented shrimp paste and tamarind concentrate can be found at most Asian markets.

MAKES 1 SMALL JAR

PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES

4 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil, divided

6 garlic cloves, minced

6 tablespoons finely chopped shallots

1 tablespoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

4 teaspoons fermented shrimp paste

2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)

3 tablespoons palm or brown sugar

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate

1 tablespoon water

1 Heat the oil in a wok or skillet at medium high heat. Add the garlic and shallots and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer garlic and shallots to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Set aside. Leave the remaining oil in the pan.

2 Combine the ground red pepper, shrimp paste, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, tamarind concentrate, water, reserved garlic, and shallots in a small food processor. Pulse until a thick paste forms.

3 Return the paste to the wok or skillet and stir it into the oil over low heat. Simmer gently and continue stirring until the mixture is a smooth, oily, and shimmering paste.

How to Make Roasted Red Chili Paste

1 Measure the sauce ingredients and place into individual bowls.

2 Heat the oil in a wok or skillet and add garlic and shallots.

3 Stir-fry the shallots and garlic until fragrant. Remove with a slotted spoon.

4 Combine the remaining sauce ingredients and reserved shallots and garlic in a small food processor.

5 Pulse in food processor until a thick paste forms.

Sweet Thai Chili Sauce

Oh, Sweet Thai Chili Sauce, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. This versatile sauce is so easy to make yet adds so much tangy sweet flavor to everything it touches. Although it’s perfectly okay to use the store-bought stuff, I try to make it from scratch because it’s really so easy to make. Once you have it on hand you’ll realize all the great uses for it, from drizzling on crab cakes to sweetening up a spicy stir-fry. The crushed red pepper also give it a gorgeous hue and is so pretty when wrapped up in a sterilized jar (hey, what an original hostess gift).

MAKES ¾ CUP (180 ML)

PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES

½ cup (125 ml) rice vinegar or white vinegar

4 tablespoons water

¹⁄_³ cup (67 g) sugar

3 garlic cloves, minced

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon all-purpose cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

Bring vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, crushed red pepper, and salt to a boil. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add all-purpose cornstarch mixture. Stir until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

COOK’S NOTE: Store the Sweet Thai Chili Sauce in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to several months.

Spicy Peanut Sauce

Satay is all about the sauce and this sauce is boss. I like to make homemade peanut butter when I have the time by simply blending roasted peanuts with a bit of honey and some peanut oil in the food processor, but store-bought peanut butter is completely fine. This is the perfect marriage of creamy nutty flavor with smooth coconut milk and just enough heat from the crushed red pepper. Great for any satay, especially for the Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce (page 31), but also a yummy sauce for noodles or drizzled in a Thai wrap sandwich.

MAKES ½ CUP

PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 8 MINUTES

3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter

4 tablespoons coconut milk

1 teaspoon thick red curry paste

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons palm or brown sugar

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Crushed roasted peanuts for garnish

Heat the peanut butter, coconut milk, thick red curry paste, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar, and red pepper over medium-low heat in small saucepan until the mixture begins to simmer, stirring constantly. Transfer to a small serving bowl and garnish with peanuts.

COOK’S NOTE: Add a bit more coconut milk if you prefer a thinner sauce.

Sweet Hot Garlic Sauce

This is an incredibly simple, yet elegant sauce that can transform everyday grilled meats into glossy, lacquered treats. You can use chili-garlic sauce, sambal oelek, or crushed red pepper in place of the Sriracha if you’d like. This is another sauce that is wonderful to keep on hand to toss with stir-fried veggies or toss with some wings for a sticky sweet appetizer with some lovely heat.

MAKES ½ CUP (125 ML)

PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES

1 cup (200 g) sugar

6 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup (125 ml) water

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup (125 ml) rice vinegar or white vinegar

3–4 teaspoons Asian chili sauce, preferably Sriracha

Bring the sugar, garlic, water, salt, and vinegar to a boil in a saucepan stirring until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat to low. Simmer until mixture thickens to a syrupy consistency. Remove from the heat and stir in the Sriracha. Transfer to a small serving bowl. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Hoisin Peanut Sauce

This sweet and nutty, yet tangy dip is killer! It’s most commonly served with the herb-filled Summer Rolls with Shrimp and Mint (page 32). It’s so simple to make and goes great with veggies and even pretzels. Add some chili sauce for an added kick experiment or with chunky peanut butter for a crunchier texture.

MAKES ¾ CUP (180 ML)

PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 10 MINUTES

½ cup (125 ml) hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon rice or white vinegar

Crushed roasted peanuts for garnish

Bring hoisin sauce, peanut butter, water, and vinegar to a boil in a saucepan over moderately-high heat. Immediately remove from heat. Transfer to a small serving bowl. Garnish sauce with crushed peanuts.

Basic Curry Sauce

In a hurry, but craving curry? Then this basic sauce is for you. Throw in some leftover roast chicken or a handful of tofu and veggies while it’s simmering for an easy peasy, soul satisfying meal. Smash a Thai chili and add to the sauce with the coconut milk to raise the heat-o-meter.

MAKES 1¾ CUPS (430 ML) CURRY SAUCE

PREPARATION TIME: 5 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 garlic clove, minced

½ small white onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon thick red curry paste

1 cup (250 ml) thick coconut milk

½ cup (125 ml) Basic Chicken Stock (page 26) or store-bought

1 tablespoon fish sauce (nam pla)

1 teaspoon palm or brown sugar

Heat the oil in a wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and stir-fry until the garlic is fragrant and the onion is translucent, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium. Add the curry paste, stirring to break up paste, about 1 minute. Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, fish sauce, and palm sugar. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 10–12 minutes.

Cilantro Lime Soy Sauce

This is a bright sauce filled with flavor that I love to serve with dumplings and even shrimp cocktail. It’s also a light and delightful marinade for chicken or fish. I also make a quick veggie tofu stir-fry dish using this sauce whenever my vegan friend Kelly comes over and she always asks for seconds.

MAKES 1 CUP (250 ML)

PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES

1 teaspoon finely chopped shallots

1 fresh hot red or green chili, preferably Thai (deseeded if you prefer less heat), finely sliced

2 tablespoons minced lemongrass

4 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

4 tablespoons soy sauce