Nahm Jim Prik Jiaw (Deep-Fried Chilli & Garlic Sauce)
Author: TheSpicedLife
Recipe type: Condiments
Cuisine: Thai
Recipe closely adapted from David Thompson.
Ingredients
1 head of garlic, peeled and smashed
pinch of salt plus more for seasoning
peanut oil for deep frying
6 dried Anaheim chili peppers (New Mexico would work fine too)--use chile de arbol for more heat, but use 3 chile de arbol for each Anaheim chili pepper
3 slices galangal
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
Coarsely pound the garlic with some salt into a coarse paste. Set aside.
Heat the oil to 375 F.
Deep fry the chilies, garlic, galangal and onions separately. Each will take different time to fry-the onions should be mahogany brown, the galangal and garlic should be deep golden brown, the chilies will fry quickly to a deeper red. Some black spots are inevitable and ok--try not to fry anything to truly black however.
Let everything cool, reserving the oil, before pounding into a paste. You may need to add extra oil to achieve the correct consistency. Thompson did not describe what this would be--mine was not very pasty, more like oily flakes in a pile, but it was still delicious.
Be sure to taste at the end for salt--without salt it may be "hollow and bitter," in Thompson's words.
Recipe by The Spiced Life at https://www.thespicedlife.com/my-delayed-but-intense-love-affair-with-tom-ka-gai/