Prik Nam Pla: The Essential Thai Fish Sauce Condiment for Every Dish

When you visit a Thai restaurant, you'll often find a set of four condiments in glass containers on the table. These contain sugar, dried red chili, vinegar with chili, and Prik Nam Pla, which is blend of fish sauce, lime, fresh chopped chili, and garlic. (In Thai, “Prik” means chili, while “Nam Pla” is fish sauce.) Customers use four condiments to suit their taste, adding a personalized touch to each dish.

Prik Nam Pla is elevates any meal with its bold, vibrant flavor. This simple yet powerful sauce combines fish sauce, fresh chilies, garlic, and a squeeze of lime to create a blend of salty, spicy, and tangy notes. Whether used as a dipping sauce, or drizzled over noodles, fried rice, jasmine rice, or grilled meats, Prik Nam Pla enhances every bite. It’s also a favorite topping for fried eggs!

Prik Nam Pla, which is found in every Thai household and Thai restaurants is very easy to make and keeps well in an airtight glass container in the fridge for weeks, always ready to spice up your meals.

Author

Watcharee Limanon

Prep Time

5 minutes

Servings

4

Category

Condiment

Cuisine

Thai

Ingredients

• 2 tbs fresh lime juice
• 2-3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1.5 – 2 tbs granulated sugar
• 5-7 fresh green and/or red chili, finely chopped
• 3 tbs fish sauce or coconut aminos (alternative option for low sodium, vegan and gluten free cooking)

Directions

1. Add chilis and garlic in a small serving bowl.
2. Squeeze in fresh lime juice and let it sit for a minute to preserve the color of fresh chilis.
3. Add sugar and fish sauce. Mix well.