Dips & Sauces

Nam Jim Jaew is Thailand's quintessential dipping sauce for grilled and barbecued meats, originating from the Isan region of northeastern Thailand. The name translates to 'the dipping sauce from the Northeast' - 'nam jim' means dipping sauce in central Thai, while 'jaew' means the same in the Northeastern dialect. This versatile condiment combines the essential flavors of Thai cuisine: sour from tamarind and lime, salty from fish sauce, sweet from palm sugar, and spicy from dried chili flakes. What sets it apart is the addition of khao kua (toasted rice powder), which provides a distinctive nutty aroma, subtle crunch, and helps thicken the sauce. Fresh herbs and shallots add aromatic brightness to balance the bold flavors. Quick to prepare and incredibly flavorful, nam jim jaew is the perfect accompaniment to grilled meats, sticky rice, and fresh vegetables.

Nam Jim Seafood is Thailand's quintessential seafood dipping sauce, a fresh and fiery condiment that perfectly complements grilled, steamed, or fried seafood. This vibrant sauce balances the four fundamental Thai flavors - spicy from fresh bird's eye chilies, sour from fresh lime juice, salty from fish sauce, and sweet from palm sugar - all brought together with the aromatic punch of fresh garlic and cilantro roots. Unlike cooked sauces, nam jim seafood is prepared raw, pounded in a mortar and pestle to release the essential oils and create a textured, intensely flavored sauce. Every Thai seafood restaurant serves their own version, and families throughout Thailand have perfected their own ratios passed down through generations. The sauce's bright, zesty character cuts through rich seafood flavors while its heat awakens the palate, making it the perfect accompaniment to everything from grilled prawns to steamed whole fish to crispy fried squid.

Thailand's most beloved and iconic shrimp paste chili dip, featuring a bold combination of roasted fermented shrimp paste, fiery Thai chilies, garlic, and fresh lime juice. This pungent, salty, sour, and spicy condiment represents the essence of Thai flavors and is a staple in Thai households. Traditionally prepared using a mortar and pestle, it's served with steamed rice, fresh and boiled vegetables, and crispy fried fish, particularly mackerel. The dip's complex umami depth comes from aged fermented shrimp paste, which is roasted to bring out its aromatic qualities.

A beloved Northern Thai specialty featuring smoky, charred green chilies pounded with roasted shallots and garlic into a rustic, flavorful dip. This iconic Chiang Mai relish showcases the bold and aromatic flavors of Northern Thai cuisine, with its distinctive smoky character coming from grilling the vegetables until charred. The dip embodies the essence of Thai cuisine with its harmonious balance of heat, tanginess, and umami, traditionally served communally with fresh vegetables, sticky rice, and crispy pork rinds.

Jaew Bong (also spelled Jeow Bong) is a traditional Isan and Lao roasted chili paste characterized by its bold sweet, spicy, and umami flavor profile. Originating from Luang Prabang near the Mekong River, this earthy condiment combines sun-dried red chilies, aromatic galangal, shallots, and garlic with the distinctive addition of shredded pork or buffalo skin for texture and richness. The paste is created through the traditional method of dry-roasting aromatics and pounding them in a mortar and pestle, then cooking with palm sugar, tamarind, and fish sauce to create a sticky, spreadable chili paste that serves as both a condiment and flavor enhancer.

Authentic Thai peanut sauce (nam jim satay) is a rich, aromatic condiment that accompanies grilled satay and other Thai dishes. Unlike Western peanut sauces, this traditional version is made from freshly roasted and ground peanuts combined with a fragrant curry paste base featuring lemongrass, galangal, and aromatic spices. The sauce achieves a perfect balance of sweet, salty, and tangy flavors through palm sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind, all bound together with creamy coconut milk. The result is a velvety, complex sauce with layers of flavor that elevates any dish it accompanies.

Nam Prik Ong is a beloved Northern Thai chili dip featuring ground pork simmered with tomatoes, dried chilies, and aromatic shallots and garlic. This savory, mildly spicy dip has a rich, meaty flavor balanced with the tangy sweetness of tomatoes and the subtle heat of dried chilies. As one of the signature dishes of Lanna cuisine from Chiang Mai, it's traditionally served warm with fresh vegetables, crispy pork rinds, and sticky rice, making it a cornerstone of Northern Thai communal dining.

Nam Prik Pao is Thailand's essential roasted chili paste, a versatile condiment that forms the backbone of countless Thai dishes including the famous Tom Yum soup. This complex paste balances sweet, spicy, smoky, and umami flavors through a careful process of roasting dried chilies, shallots, and garlic before grinding them with dried shrimp, shrimp paste, and tamarind, then slowly cooking in oil with palm sugar and fish sauce. The result is a deeply flavored, jammy paste with a glossy, dark appearance and rich umami character. Known as 'Thai chili jam' in the West, it can be used as a condiment, cooking ingredient, spread, or dip, making it one of the most indispensable pantry items in Thai cuisine.

The original hot sauce from Si Racha district in Chonburi province, created in the 1930s by Thanom Chakkapak. This authentic Thai condiment is smoother, sweeter, and more balanced than its American counterpart, with a well-rounded flavor profile the Thais call 'klom klom.' Made from fresh red spur chilies, garlic, vinegar, sugar, and salt, traditional Thai sriracha has a runnier consistency and emphasizes the harmony of hot, sour, salty, and sweet - the quintessential Thai flavor balance. Unlike Western versions, it never contains tomatoes and showcases the bright, fresh chili flavor without bitter heat or overpowering vinegar.

Pla ra is a traditional Isan fermented fish sauce/paste, considered an essential condiment throughout Northeastern Thailand. Made by fermenting freshwater fish with salt and rice bran for at least 6 months, it develops a distinctive pungent aroma and complex umami flavor. This ancient preservation method dates back over 3,000 years and remains a cornerstone of Isan cuisine. The fermentation process creates both a liquid sauce and soft fish meat, both of which are used in various dishes or served as a condiment with sticky rice and fresh vegetables.