Naam Phrik Phao

Chile paste for Pok Pok wings
20m sauce chili pepper

Ingredients

  • ÂĽ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 ounce dried Thai chiles (about 1 cup) - can substitute Arbol chiles 1:1
  • A very small drizzle of Asian sesame oil (look for brands that are 100 percent sesame oil)

Process

  1. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over low heat until it shimmers. Add the chiles and cook, stirring frequently, until they’re evenly dark brown but not black, 10 to 15 minutes. Ideally every chile will be the same color, but you’ll inevitably have some that are lighter than others.

  2. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chiles to a food processor, reserving the oil, and let them cool. Process to a coarse paste. (Alternatively, you can pound them in a granite mortar.) Stir in just enough of the reserved oil to saturate the paste but not so much that it’s swimming in oil. (The consistency should be like that of chunky peanut butter.) Stir in the sesame oil.

  3. You can store the paste in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 6 months.