I’ve Bought More Than 20 Jars of This “Delicious” Sauce (I Use It for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner!)
My grandma instilled in me from an early age that a meal isn’t really a meal unless you’re sweating. Her wisdom — and probably my strong Thai spice-loving genes — still rings true today. I love dousing hot sauce on my eggs and covering my new favorite frozen pizza in chili flakes, essentially cranking up the heat in nearly everything I eat. I’m lucky to come from a cooking family in which heat is a cornerstone of our cuisine, and my all-time-favorite condiment for just that is nam prik pao (Thai chili jam) and, specifically, Pink Salt’s Nam Prik Pao.
Nam prik pao is an absolute flavor bomb, packed with dried chiles, shallots, garlic, dried shrimp, tamarind paste, and fish sauce, to name a few, all cooked down to a jammy consistency. Until recently, I relied on my grandmother to restock me each time I saw her with her homemade version, but after trying Pink Salt’s Nam Prik Pao, she and I both agree that the store-bought version is just as good — if not better.
What’s So Great About Pink Salt’s Nam Prik Pao?
Pink Salt is a Thai American-owned gem by Palita Sriratana, who launched the O.G. Pink Salt’s Nam Prik Pao in a Chicago food hall back in 2019. Over the past few years, the brand has gained a loyal following of spice-devoted customers (including myself!). Since then, Pink Salt also released two more versions of nam prik pao, a vegan-ized (and shellfish-free) one and a milder option. Each jar is handmade in small batches in Chicago.
I first tried this chili jam in late 2022 or so, and since then my life has been substantially better for it. I consistently buy jar upon jar because it’s just that good. They’re 6 ounces, which may seem small, but a little goes a long way; it’ll last you a surprisingly long time, at least a month (unless you’re like me and eat it two to three times a day). I’m the biggest fan of the original nam prik pao flavor for its heat that doesn’t hold back (it sure is spicy!), delicate sweetness from the palm sugar, and deep umami flavor from the mixture of shrimp paste, fish sauce, and other aromatics.
What’s the Best Way to Enjoy Pink Salt’s Nam Prik Pao?
On freshly toasted sourdough, as a soup starter, sauteed in a stir-fry, with vegetables, as a dip for fries, by the spoonful (if you’re brave), in a pasta sauce, drizzled onto ice cream — the possibilities are endless. When I say I put this stuff on everything, I mean it! It’s got an incredibly sweet-to-heat balance (with just enough sweetness to cut the intensity of the heat) that makes anything and everything just taste better.
Pink Salt’s Nam Prik Pao
Here Here Market
$14
Buy Now
If you want to make the most out of its bold, bright flavors, add this delectable jam to day-old white rice to make a spicy fried rice. I’ll typically take leftover rice and add it to my preheated wok with a tablespoon or two of neutral oil. I’ll then add any leftover veggies, already-cooked protein, and an egg or two, then mix until combined (and the eggs are cooked through). And here’s where the real magic happens: I go in with a tablespoon of the original Nam Prik Pao. The result? An incredibly sweet-spicy-savory main that you’ll never believe comes together in less than 10 minutes.
Trust me, once you try it, you’ll want to put it on everything too. It’s the closest thing I’ve got in my pantry to liquid gold.
Buy: Pink Salt’s Nam Prik Pao, $14 for 6 ounces at Here Here Market
What is your “liquid gold” pantry staple? Tell us about it in the comments below!
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