Quite some time ago, I watched an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, the Best of Las Vegas. Ming Tsai just couldn’t seem to get over Nam Prik Ong from the Lotus of Siam. And I couldn’t get over his ravings! Months later, I finally made it.

Nam Prik Ong

Nam Prik Ong is a fiery Thai starter or appetizer. The primary ingredients are smashed tomatoes and chiles (of course, the heat level can be adjusted to your taste), smashed up and mixed into ground pork.

About Nam Prik Ong:

Now that description isn’t really going to give this dish the credit it deserves, but after cooking the pork mixture, what’s left is a luscious, juicy meaty appetizer, perfect for dipping.

But wait, there’s more! In addition to the heat from the chiles and the acid from the juicy tomatoes, the dish is fragrant with ginger and garlic, with a freshness from the cilantro and shallot. And what grounds the Nam Prik Ong is a touch of umami from the fish sauce, and if you want to go there (it’s optional), just a bit of anchovy.

Finish your Nam Prik Ong with a squeeze of lemon and just a touch of sugar, leaning into a sweet/sour vibe. The end result is so tasty, so complex that it’s almost magical; It’s so much more than anyone might expect from a handful or two of ingredients.

Nam Prik Ong

Making Nam Prik Ong:

Now, obviously, I’m not Thai, I’m not even Asian; I mean, look at my photo, lol! But after seeing the dish on DDD, I knew I had to master it – and in the video, it looked easy enough! It didn’t take long to realize I had a little more to learn about balancing the five pillars of Thai cooking in this dish: sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, and salty.

I love to give credit where credit is due, and if you want to explore more, check out the linked post from Pranee , and the Thai Food Master. Eating Thai Food has a wonderful post on the variations of Nam Prik Ong that was an eye-opener for me.

Make your NaM Prik Ong, if you have the muscle and a mortar and pestle, or use the food processor. In a pinch, mash everything with a fork in a skillet as it cooks. I’ve tried making it all three ways; it’s amazing how the tool used can make a difference in the taste of the final dish. My favorite was the smash in the skillet one.

Before cooking the whole dish, think about forming a bit into a small ball, smash it, cook it, and do a taste test. You’ll have an opportunity, then, to add in a little more of any of the flavors.

The Flavorings:

Since I’m in Minnesota, the dish below is cobbled from ingredients that I can pick up in my neighborhood (or close to it), and other than the Thai chiles, a well-stocked grocery should have everything you need.

If you can’t find Thai chiles, sub in jalapeno or Serrano chiles, or buy a jar of chili paste, chili crunch, or chiles in oil, or in a real pinch, just add a bit of Sriracha. You’re bound to find something in the Asian section of the grocery that will bring the heat.

If you haven’t used fish sauce before, don’t be overly worried; it really doesn’t stand out as “fishy.” It just brings the elusive “umami” flavor to the dish; I have tried with anchovy paste and without, so if that’s not go, it’s optional.

Serve With:

An assortment of fresh or lightly steamed vegetables for dipping or wrapping, pork rinds, and/or sticky rice.

• Making your own pork rinds would be a true flex, although I just don’t go there, but premium ones from an Asian or Latin market would be fabulous if you have one near by.
• Sticky or glutinous rice can be formed into a ball, then used for dipping up a bit of the Nan Prik Ong, or simply stuffed with it.

Leftover Nam Prik Ong:

Store in the refrigerator, tightly covered, for three to four days. For best results, reheat, lightly covered, in the microwave. Note that dishes with chiles seem to get hotter the longer they’re stored in the fridge.

I haven’t trialed freezing the dish; let me know if you give it a go.

Other Asian Leaning Appetizers You Might Like:

Here are a few recipes that are sure to please your palate, and if you love the idea of Nam Prik Ong, you’re sure to love these.

• Opal Thai’s Pork Larb – a classic Asian “meat” salad, served as an appetizer or a meal, in lettuce leaves.
• Pork and Scallion Potstickers – fun to make, especially with willing friends and/or family to help out. These are outstanding.
• Thai Beef Rolls – slightly spicy seasoned beef wrapped in basil, grilled and served with sweet chili sauce. Sure to impress.

Grilled Thai Beef Rolls with Sweet Chili Sauce

Saving Money on Groceries:

What you pay for groceries depends on not just WHERE you shop, but WHEN. Be strategic and stock up at rock-bottom prices.

• The best sales are before holidays; check out Win at the Grocers. Think beyond the occasion & use the opportunity to stock up at a low for the coming weeks to months.
• If available, take advantage of discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. The pricing at Buyer’s clubs is not always the lowest, but can trump in quality. Be selective when shopping there.

The best way to save money on this or any recipe is to have a well-stocked pantry, fridge, and freezer full of sale-priced items.

Ground Pork:

• Often difficult to find (check the fresh meat aisle and the frozen foods) and pricey when it’s available.
• If you can’t get it, don’t want to pay so much, or want the freshest ground pork, just buy shoulder, chunk it up, first removing hard fat and silverskin, and pulse it in your food processor. Pulsing is easiest when the pork is very cold. Portion the rest of the shoulder out (they’re usually large) for other recipes.
• You’re always going to save money if you buy pork shoulder on a deep sale, break it down (see my post on Large Pork Roasts), and have usable sizes in your freezer.

Ginger:

• Ginger varies wildly in price, and best prices are at Asian markets. You never have to buy a whole “hand”; just break off a reasonable amount (don’t try to buy an inch!) if they’re huge.
• Ginger should be frozen to keep from sprouting. It doesn’t freeze totally hard and can be grated straight from the freezer; it’s not necessary to peel.

Nam Prik Ong

Nam Prik Ong

Print Recipe

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• Author: adapted from Lotus of Siam and Kitchen
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings 1x
• Category: Appetizers
• Cuisine: Asian

Ingredients

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• 1/2” piece ginger, sliced thinly
• 4 shallots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, smashed
• 5 – 10 Thai chilis, sliced thinly (I liked seven)
• 2 to 3 cilantro stems, minced, reserve leaves, roughly chopped, for garnish
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 8 to 10 cherry tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce, or to taste
• finely grated rind from 1/2 lemon
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• salt, if desired

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Instructions

Using a mortar and pestle or food processor, smash together shallots, ginger, cilantro stems, and garlic into a paste. Add chilis and smash until bruised and incorporated. Add pork and mix heavily. Add tomatoes along with the rest of ingredients and continue to work mixture until blended and the tomatoes have burst.

In a medium-sized skillet, heat, stirring, until pork is cooked through and some of the liquid has evaporated, making a thick, saucy mixture. Garnish with Cilantro.

Serve with an assortment of vegetables, fresh or steamed, pork rinds, and sticky rice if desired.

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I’m posting Nam Prik Ong at Fiesta Friday, hosted by Juhls of the Not so Creative Cook and Mr. Fitz of Cooking with Mr. Fitz. My Nam Prik Ong was featured on Fiesta Friday!