Khao Pad Nam Prik Na Rok

It took a while, but now I really appreciate Thai Nam Prik ( น้ำพริก ) dips made from chilis and other ingredients and have even prepared some myself. However, what was a mystery to me for a long time was the purpose of dry Nam Prik preparations such as Nam Prik Na Rok ( น้ำพริกนรก ). This “coarse chili powder” pairs wonderfully with fresh fruit like half-ripe mangoes or vegetables like chayote, but I had no idea how to use it for cooking.

The enlightenment came a few days ago due to an answer to the question about simple Thai dishes in the Facebook group Thai Kitchen and Their Recipes. This came from Alex, who as Yak Thai with his wife Chonticha offers various Nam Prik of their own production and suggested fried rice with any Nam Prik, including the mysterious “Nam Prik Na Rok”.

I prepared such fried rice or “Khao Pad Nam Prik Na Rok” ( ข้าวผัดน้ำพริกนรก ) yesterday and have written down my recipe here for you. “Na Rok” means “underworld” or “hell” and refers to the heat of the Nam Prik. Therefore, you can also call this dish “Fried Rice From Hell”.

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Preparation

As always with fried rice, the cooked rice should be as dry as possible, ideally rice that was cooked the day before and stored in the refrigerator. Otherwise, good preparation is always required with wok dishes so that it doesn’t get too stressful during cooking, so we start with the preparations.

First, the garlic should be peeled and cut small. Then we cut the Chinese cabbage into bite-sized strips. Finally, mix the light soy sauce with the fish sauce and the Golden Mountain Sauce and stir everything well. Then you can start cooking.

Heat the oil in the wok or a large pan and then fry the garlic until it is fragrant. Add the Nam Prik Na Rok and also fry this briefly until it releases its aroma. Then add the rice and mix it with the Nam Prik until it has an even red coloring.

Now fry the rice for two to three minutes with constant turning, making sure that no lumps form. Then fold in the cut Chinese cabbage and also fry this briefly. Then deglaze everything with the sauce mixture, mix thoroughly again and then just wait until the sauces have been absorbed into the rice.

Then sprinkle the finished Khao Pad Nam Prik Na Rok with a little more Nam Prik Na Rok and then serve immediately, steaming hot.