Nam chub with Thai omelette
A relish of shrimp paste is known as nam prik kapi in Thailand and, colloquially, as nam chub in the south. It’s always on the table at London's Plaza Khao Gaeng with cucumber and other cooling vegetables. Here, it's served with a Thai omelette to make a flavour-packed starter
- Total:
- Serves: 2 persons
Ingredients
- 2tbsp shrimp paste
- 1tbsp palm sugar
- 5garlic cloves
- 4bird’s-eye chillies (or more if you like it spicy)
- 2limes, juiced
- 4eggs
- 1tbsp fish sauce
- a squeeze of lime juice
- sunflower oil, for deep-frying
Instructions
Step 1
Pound the shrimp paste with the sugar, garlic, chillies and 1 tsp of salt with a pestle and mortar.Step 2
Add the lime juice and 2 tbsp of warm water, stirring to combine – it should taste hot, sour and salty.Step 3
Beat the eggs with the fish sauce and lime juice until combined.Step 4
Heat 2-3cm depth of oil in a small pan until it just begins to smoke. Pour the beaten egg through a sieve from a height into the oil – it will form crispy comet tails. When it has risen in height, carefully turn over using tongs, and cook until golden, then drain.Step 5
Enjoy with a selection of herbs and vegetables, including cucumber, celery, lettuce, radishes, pineapple, aubergine, long beans, green mango and sprigs of curry leaf.