Nam Jim Jaew (Thai Dipping Sauce)
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp roasted chili powder
- 1 tbsp toasted rice powder
- 1 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2-3 bird's eye chilies, finely chopped (optional)
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice, roasted chili powder, toasted rice powder, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add in the minced garlic, chopped shallot, and bird's eye chilies (if using). Mix well.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. You can add more lime juice for extra acidity, more sugar for sweetness, or more chili powder for spiciness.
- Transfer the dipping sauce to a small serving bowl and garnish with chopped cilantro.
- Serve the Nam Jim Jaew sauce alongside grilled or roasted meat, such as Thai grilled chicken, as a dipping sauce.
Notes
To make the roasted chili powder, toast dried whole red chilies in a dry pan over medium heat until fragrant and lightly charred, then grind them into a powder using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. To make the toasted rice powder, toast uncooked sticky rice in a dry pan until lightly browned, then grind it into a powder using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder.