Andy Ricker's Naam Jim Kai Yaang (Tamarind dipping sauce)

By
Kate Williams
Kate Itrich-Williams is a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kate Williams
Kate Itrich-Williams is a food writer, editor, and recipe developer who wrote the "Cook the Book" column for Serious Eats.
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Updated November 18, 2021
Pok Pok cover

This tangy tamarind dipping sauce is served with Andy Ricker's Whole Roasted Young Chicken from his new Pok Pok cookbook.

Reprinted with permission from Pok Pok: Food and Stories from the Streets, Homes, and Roadside Restaurants of Thailand by Andy Ricker with JJ Goode. Copyright 2013. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House. All rights reserved. Available wherever books are sold.

Recipe Details

Andy Ricker's Naam Jim Kai Yaang (Tamarind dipping sauce)

Active 10 mins
Total 45 mins
Makes 1 3/4 cups

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces palm sugar, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup Thai fish sauce
  • 1 ounces seedless tamarind pulp (also called tamarind paste)
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 1 tablespoon Phrik Phon Khua (Toasted-chile powder), or more to taste

Directions

  1. Combine the palm sugar, fish sauce, tamarind pulp, and water in a medium pot. Set the pot over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately decrease the heat to maintain a simmer. Use a whisk or spoon to break up the palm sugar and tamarind pulp as they soften, and cook just until the tamarind has fully softened and dissolved into the mixture, 5 to 8 minutes

  2. Stir in the chile powder, turn off the heat, and let the mixture sit, stirring occasionally, until it has cooled to room temperature.

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