Rezept

Namprik platter with Pao Sap: rice, egg, and vegetables for dipping

Pao Sap is the extra-spicy Nam Prik Pao. Classically, it is served as a Namprik platter, with rice, a boiled egg, and vegetables for dipping.

3 Min. Lesezeit

Namprik-Teller mit Pao Sap: Reis, Ei und Gemüse zum Dippen

Nam Prik Pao is a pantry staple: roasted chilies, shallots, and garlic, preserved in oil. This allows the paste to keep without refrigeration, and every family cooks their own version with its own level of spiciness. The "right" amount of chili is often a subject of debate.

Pao Sap, น้ำพริกเผาแซ่บ, is the answer for anyone who finds the classic paste too mild. With 12 percent chili, it is significantly hotter than the standard blend, but remains balanced rather than just spicy thanks to tamarind and a cane-coconut sugar mixture. It tastes sweet at first, then the heat follows.

It is best enjoyed as simply as possible: a spoonful on a plate of rice, accompanied by raw or blanched vegetables for dipping and a boiled egg to cushion the heat. This exact Namprik plate is the dish that introduces you to the paste most directly—no wok, no pot, just using what is already prepared.

  • 4servings
  • 15 min.preparation
  • 4/5on the THAANI scale

Shopping list

What else you will need

  • 1 jar of THAANI Pao Sap (approx. 3 tbsp for this plate)
  • 4 eggs
  • 300 g jasmine rice, cooked
  • 150 g green beans
  • 1 small cucumber, cut into sticks
  • 100 g carrots, cut into sticks
  • 1 tbsp roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
  • A few sprigs of cilantro for garnish

Preparation

  1. Cook the rice. Prepare jasmine rice according to package instructions and keep warm. It can still be slightly steaming for this plate.
  2. Boil the eggs. Boil eggs for 8 minutes until hard, rinse with cold water, peel, and halve. If you prefer them softer, take them out of the water after 6 minutes.
  3. Blanch the beans. Cook green beans in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes, then rinse with cold water to keep them crisp.
  4. Cut the vegetables. Cut cucumber and carrots into sticks and serve raw. Both absorb the heat of the paste well.
  5. Prepare the paste. Place Pao Sap in a small bowl, thinning it with a splash of water if necessary.
  6. Assemble the plate. Arrange the rice, eggs, beans, cucumber, and carrots around the bowl of paste and sprinkle with cilantro and peanuts.
The paste determines the heat. How much you use is up to you.

Three further ideas

  • In the wok: heat Pao Sap with a little oil and stir-fry any vegetables in it; your side dish is ready. Leftover fried rice makes it a complete meal.
  • As a rice stir-fry: fry cold rice with a spoonful of Pao Sap and an egg until everything is evenly colored. Sprinkle spring onions and a little cilantro on top at the end.
  • With grilled meat: serve a dollop of Pao Sap as a dip for skewers or grilled chicken. The sweetness of the paste goes well with everything off the grill, including grilled vegetables.

After opening, the jar will keep in the refrigerator at +2 to +6 °C. One jar of Pao Sap provides about 10 servings as a seasoning; for this plate, just under a third of it is enough, with the rest waiting in the fridge for the next round.