Authentic Nam Prik Ong Recipe (2024)

ByPraew January 30, 2023June 25, 2024 June 25, 2024

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This authentic nam prik ong recipe makes a delicious Thai pork and tomato dipping sauce that comes straight from Northern Thailand, specifically Chiang Mai. It’s very tasty with fresh or steamed vegetables, sticky rice, and crunchy pork cracklings. Definitely give it a try if you love Thai food!

If you love Northern Thai cuisine, then you’ll want to bookmark the classic chicken khao soi and the roasted chili dip, nam prik noom, for later! Keep reading for the best insider tips on this Thai tomato and pork sauce recipe, or skip straight to the instructions below.

Here’s a breakdown of each word translated to English for better understanding:

• Nam (น้ำ): Water or liquid
• Prik (พริก): Chili
• Ong (อ่อง): Is used to refer to this specific Northern Thai chili dip.

It can also be written as nam phrik ong and num prik ong. My husband and I often refer to this sauce as “Chiang Mai sauce,” although this isn’t its official name!

Thai pork and tomato dipping sauce

This Northern Thai dip is one of my absolute favorite pork-based relishes. It’s like a Thai-style bolognese sauce with minced pork, ripe tomatoes, and the heat of spicy chilies – so delicious!

To make a Thai pork and tomato chili dip, we traditionally use a mortar and pestle to mash the ingredients into a paste or sauce, much like how Thai red curry paste is prepared.

This nam phrik ong recipe starts with making a spicy red chili paste using dried chilies, shallots, garlic, and shrimp paste. This paste is the heart of the dish, mixed with juicy ground pork and Thai seasonings for extra flavor.

Then, grilled tomatoes are added to turn the mix into a rich Thai spicy pork dipping sauce that’s perfect for family gatherings and parties, even the kids will love it!

As for the flavors, expect a perfect mix of spicy, savory with just a touch of sweetness and tang.

Ingredients

Ingredients can be sourced at Asian grocery stores and Asian markets.
The exact measurements are in the recipe card at the end of this post.

• Pork – Minced pork brings a rich, meaty flavor that’s essential for this traditional Northern Thai sauce.
• Tomatoes – Small red tomatoes or cherry tomatoes add a juicy sweetness and slight tang, which balances the spicy and savory flavors.
• Shallots
• Garlic
• Salt
• Tamarind paste – Tamarind paste is a tangy and slightly sweet concentrate used in Thai food to add a sweet-sour flavor.
• Shrimp paste – This staple in Thai cuisine adds umami. If you’re not used to the flavor of shrimp paste, feel free to more or less add to taste.
• Palm sugar – Palm sugar adds a rich, caramel-like sweetness that’s different from white and brown sugar.
• Fish sauce – Fish sauce is a salty, fermented condiment that’s popular in Thai cooking for its umami and depth.
• Water – Essential in achieving the right dipping sauce consistency.
• Large dried chilies – Large dried chilies, like dry red spur chilies, add a moderate amount of heat.
• Small dried chilies (optional) – Small dried chilies can be added if you like a spicy dipping sauce.
• Oil – Use a neutral oil with high smoke point, like canola oil or vegetable oil.

Note: The main ingredients in nam prik ong are ground pork, tomatoes, and dried chilies. The additional ingredients can vary greatly depending on the region in Thailand or family recipes, as some may include more spices or different seasonings.

Short recipe video

How to make nam prik ong

Kitchenware

1. Measuring spoons & cups
2. Cutting board and a sharp knife
3. Bowl (for soaking large dried chilies)
4. Thai mortar and pestle
5. Wok or cast-iron skillet with spatula

Ground pork dip recipe tips and tricks

• Use a granite mortar and pestle: A stone mortar and pestle is best for making Thai pastes and sauces like this nam prik ong. I do not recommend using a food processor, since the texture and flavor will be better with a mortar and pestle.
• Choose ripe tomatoes: Select juicy, small tomatoes for a naturally sweet and gently tang flavor.
• Adjust the spice level: The small dried chilies can add extra heat if you like a spicy version of this Northern Thai sauce.
• Soak the chilies: Soak the large dried chilies to soften them, making them easier to crush into a paste.
• Taste test: Before serving, adjust the amount of fish sauce, palm sugar, and tamarind paste to balance the salty, sweet, and tangy flavors to your taste.

How to eat nam prik moo

This nam prik dipping sauce is best served with an array of side dishes:

1. Arrange a large serving plate with raw vegetables such as cucumber, carrots, lettuce, Thai eggplants, green beans, and yard long beans. Raw or cooked.
2. Place the pork and tomato dip in the center.
3. Serve with a side of Thai sticky rice or steamed jasmine rice.
4. Complete with a portion or pork crackling (fried pork skins) like these hot and spicy pork rinds, a popular addition in Northern Thailand. This is the best dip for pork rinds you’ll find!

How to store leftover sauce

Storing: Let your leftover sauce cool to room temperature and transfer it to an airtight container. The leftovers will stay fresh in the refrigerator for a couple of days.

Reheating: Enjoy the pork chili sauce leftovers cooled, or reheat in a pan over low heat until warm.

Frequently asked questions

Authentic Thai nam prik recipes

• Thai chili paste (homemade nam prik pao)
• Nam prik kapi (Thai shrimp paste chili dip)
• Prik nam som (delicious Thai chili vinegar sauce)
• Prik nam pla (Fish sauce based table condiment)

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