Northern Thai Tomato & Pork Relish (Nam Prik Ong)

A rich, mild-hot Chiang Mai relish of minced pork and tomatoes simmered with chilli paste, served with raw vegetables.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 25 min
Cook: 35 min
Total: 1 hour
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
❌
Serves
6 people
Difficulty
Easy

Ingredients

  • 300g minced pork
  • 500g ripe tomatoes
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tsp palm sugar or light brown soft sugar
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
  • 8 dried long red chillies, deseeded and soaked in hot water for 20 minutes, for the paste
  • 5 shallots, peeled, for the paste
  • 6 cloves garlic, peeled, for the paste
  • 1 tbsp shrimp paste, for the paste
  • 1 tsp salt, for the paste
  • cucumber, long beans and white cabbage, cut into wedges, to serve
  • 4 boiled eggs and sticky rice, to serve

Method

  1. Score a cross in the base of each tomato, plunge into boiling water for 30 seconds, then peel and finely chop the flesh.

  2. Drain the chillies and pound them in a pestle and mortar, or blitz in a small processor, with the shallots, garlic, shrimp paste and salt to a smooth paste.

  3. Heat the oil in a wide pan over a medium heat. Fry the paste for 3 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and darkened.

  4. Add the pork and cook for 5 minutes, breaking it up, until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes and simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring often, until thick, glossy and the oil rises to the surface.

  5. Season with the fish sauce and palm sugar. Stir in the lime juice and coriander.

  6. Serve warm or at room temperature with the raw vegetables, boiled eggs and sticky rice.