A few months ago, someone asked about nampla prik if Chef Pim Techamuanvivit included it in our new book, Cooking Thai. Yes she does, and it's tucked away in the Bougie Pad Gaprao, a holy basil stir-fry with beef steak that's one of my go-to Thai recipes. Always read recipe endnotes in the book to unmask little hidden gems!

Nampla prik literally means fish sauce with chilies spiked with lime juice. I'd had it before at restaurants where it was lackluster, but Pim adds thinly sliced shallot and the sauce dazzles with complex flavor. You can have it as you like - with or without chilies - as much as you like, sometimes with garlic. Add extra lime juice to boost the tanginess for your taste.

bougie pad gaprao holy basil and beef stir-fry with variations and nampla prik, by Ed Anderson for Cooking Thai

How does Thai nampla prik compare to Vietnamese nuoc cham?

Nampla prik is more intensely tart, salty, spicy and pungent. There's no sugar and no water involved like what's in my master nuoc cham recipes in my newsletter and on this website. Also, nampla prik is enjoyed in relatively small, yet potent, quantities. You stir together it together and serve with a small spoon like you see in these photos from Cooking Thai. The above is of the bougie pad gaprao only and below are two fried rices. No, there is no shallot in this version for the rice. Yes, you can have nampla prik your way.

Salted egg yolk and shrimp fried rice with nampla prik sauce, by Ed Anderson for Cooking Thai

Nampla prik isn't super multipurpose like nuoc cham. In the book, we present it as a Thai "serving sauce" to accompany dishes like the holy basil stir-fries, salted egg yolk-shrimp fried rice and northern curry and mushroom fried rice. But ubiquitous holy basil stir fries (pad gaprao) can be made with practically any kind of meat or tofu so you're apt to see the same sauce on many tables.

How to make Pim's nampla prik

Nampla prik brightens and enlivens anything it touches. Use a small spoon to sprinkle the sauce onto your food at the table.

Print Recipe

Nampla Prik

One batch of this fish sauce and chilies serving sauce yields about ¼ cup to serve 4. Recipe source: Cooking Thai by Pim Techamuanvivit with Andrea Nguyen (2026, Ten Speed Press)

Course: basics

Cuisine: Thai

Keyword: nampla prik, Thai basic sauce

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 ½ tablespoons lime juice
1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce or Thai thin soy sauce
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Thai chilies
1 tablespoon very thinly sliced shallot

Instructions

In a small bowl, mix together the lime juice, fish sauce (or Thai thin soy sauce), and Thai chilies. If using, stir in the shallot too. Let sit for a few minutes before serving with stir-fries, fried rice and fried foods. Dispense it with a small spoon because a little goes a long way.

Enjoy nampla prik your way

I always pack my tablespoon with the shallot because it tastes really good after sitting in the lime juice and fish sauce. For a primer on Thai fish sauce and soy sauce, check page 22 of Cooking Thai or visit the VWK guide to salty, spicy Thai condiments and seasonings.

Once you've experienced nampla prik on Thai food, you may be putting it on other things. For instance, I liked it for the Pad Kee Mao (drunken rice noodles stir-fry) in the book. And do note in the photo below that I left the chilies out of that bowl. My Viet taste buds can't handle as much chili heat as Thai taste buds can. I'd put a decent amount in the stir-fried noodles!