📍 Where this dish comes from: Bangkok · Wat Phra Kaew (Emerald Buddha)
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Nam Jim Seafood is the sauce that grilled fish could not exist without — an assault of raw garlic and chili pounded into a sauce that burns bright with fresh lime and the depth of fish sauce. It is not for the faint-hearted, yet it is the most natural partner for the delicate sweetness of steamed or grilled seafood. Everything Thai is about contrast, and this sauce exemplifies that principle better than almost anything else on the table.
What You’ll Need
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 35kcal
Ingredients
- 6 garlic cloves
- 6 bird's eye chilies
- 5 tbsp lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp erythritol
- 1–2 small coriander roots (optional)
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
Instructions
- Pound garlic, chilies, and coriander root to a rough paste in a mortar.
- Do not make it smooth — the texture is intentional.
- Add lime juice, fish sauce, and erythritol. Stir to combine.
- Taste — it should be simultaneously very sour, salty, and hot.
- Adjust with more lime or fish sauce to preference.
- Add chopped coriander leaves.
- Use immediately — do not refrigerate for more than 24 hours.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 35kcal | Protein: 1g | Fiber: 0.5g
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Health Benefits
- Raw garlic retains maximum allicin, which is destroyed at temperatures above roughly 60°C.
- Fresh lime juice provides vitamin C, which can enhance absorption of the iron present in fish sauce.
- Bird’s eye chili has a notably high capsaicin concentration among commonly used chili varieties.