Prik Nam Pla (Thai Dipping Sauce)

Tangy, spicy and packed with umami deliciousness, this Thai dipping sauce aka Prik Nam Pla, is an absolute must try if you love bold flavors and Thai food. 

This no-cook condiment comes together in under 10 minutes, and is a riot of flavors and textures. 

I absolutely love the bold flavors of Thai cuisine! The last time I whipped up some fried rice and my favorite Pad Thai, I just knew I needed something a bit extra. 

A condiment to spoon over them both and up their deliciousness- something spicy, tangy, and flavorful. 

And while I always have my jar of garlic habanero sauce handy, I wanted to try something a bit more authentic, that would work specifically with Thai food. 

And that’s when I thought of making this! 

What's So Great About the Recipe?

This traditional Thai condiment has my heart all because of its flavor. The kickass combination of fish sauce and lime juice along with the chillies is unmatched. 

Once you give it a try, you’re going to be addicted, just like me! 

Fish sauce: This one forms the base for the sauce, and lends it that perfect savoury flavor. 

Garlic: Chopped fresh garlic is another great flavor booster you don’t want to miss out on. 

Chillies: I used a mix of red and green chillies here. If you can get your hands on Thai bird’s eye chilies, even better! 

Brown sugar: To tone down the heat and to bring a bit of sweetness to the sauce, I added some brown sugar. Substitute this for palm sugar or white sugar if you want to. 

Cilantro: Lots of chopped cilantro brightens up the sauce and lends it an incredible flavor and freshness. 

Lime juice: And of course, a nice dash of freshly squeezed lime juice to tie all those flavors together! 

See recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions & Variations

• Swap the fresh cilantro in the recipe for some shallots. 
• Don’t like the chunkiness of chopped garlic? Simply mince the garlic (and the other ingredients). 

How to Store Leftover Prik Nam Pla

Got some leftovers? Transfer them to a glass jar and pop it in the refrigerator. The sauce should stay good for about 2 weeks, if not longer. 

Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe

• If the sauce has turned out too hot, simply add more fish sauce and a bit of brown sugar to tackle the spiciness.
• Worried about the spiciness of the sauce? Remove the seeds from the chilis before you chop them up. 
• Is the sauce too runny for your liking? Lend it a little more body by adding in a tablespoon of oyster sauce. 
• For a more intense flavor, make the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight. Doing this helps the flavors of the garlic and chillies infuse into the sauce and make it taste so much better. 

How to Use the Thai Dipping Sauce

The spicy, salty and umami deliciousness of this delicious Thai sauce makes it perfect to pair with pretty much any of your Thai cooking experiments. 

I personally love pairing it with my fried rice and noodle dishes, but you can also team it up with some spring rolls or your stir fry dishes. It’s the ultimate table condiment!

And it doesn’t just work great with Thai dishes - you can also use it to jazz up your fried egg or just some plain jasmine rice.