Cookbook:Nam Phrik Ong (Thai Pork and Tomato Dip)

Nam phrik ong, or Thai pork and tomato dip (Thai: น้ำพริกอ่อง), is a traditional Northern Thai food of pork, tomatoes, and chilli. It is much like a Thai version of a bolognese sauce, and the name comes from combining nam phrik (hot sauce; literally "liquid chili") and ong. Ong is used only for identifying the dish, and has no special meaning. The tomatoes and chilli colour the sauce orange, and the dish tastes sour, salty, and slightly hot. Some variations of the dish can be a little sweet, depending on preference.

While tomatoes and pork are the essential main ingredients of Nam Phrik Ong, people may add other spices. The spices are not specific, and vary widely.

Ingredients

 * 20 dried paprika chile peppers
 * 20 shallots
 * 10 garlic cloves
 * 1 tbsp shrimp paste
 * ½ tsp salt
 * 1 tbsp sliced coriander leaves
 * 1 tbsp sliced onion
 * 2 tbsp oil
 * 400 g minced or ground pork
 * 20 small tomatoes

Procedure

 * 1) Pound together the peppers, shallots, and garlic.
 * 2) Add the shrimp paste and salt, and continue pounding the mixture.
 * 3) Heat the oil in a pan, and add the pounded mixture. Stir in the coriander and onion. Cook until fragrant.
 * 4) Add the pork, and stir it until it is cooked. Add some water if it gets dry.
 * 5) Bring the mixture to a boil.
 * 6) When the mixture is boiling, add the tomatoes and stir them around. Wait until they are cooked.
 * 7) Serve with some vegetables for dipping such as lettuce wraps, cabbage, and/or green beans.