Hot-Sweet Spicy Dipping Sauce (Nam Jeem Kai Yang)

1 cup distilled white vinegar
2 cups sugar
½ tsp salt
2 Tabs Chile Sauce (Lee Kum Kee has a good one with garlic)

Bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil in a sauce pan., simmer and stir until sugar is thoroughly dissolved. It will need to boil for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the salt, reduce heat and continue simmering for another 5 or 6 minutes. Remove from heat stir in the chile sauce.
Serve at room temperature.
Place in glass jar in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Makes 1 cup.

Thai Condiments

In Thai Cuisine there are several popular condiments. All can be made at home preferably at least one week before serving so as to allow maturing of flavours. I just keep them together in my refrigerator in a plastic tub, shoe box size.

Nam pla phrik:
This is the most basic and necessary of all Thai condiments. Slice 2/3 cup Phrik Kee Nue (Thai Bird’s Eye chiles) or Prik Chee Fa (Thai Dragon chiles) and place in a glass jar (1 pint size), Fill with fish sauce(Nam Pla)

Prik dong:
Slice 2/3 cup Phrik Kee Nue (Thai Bird’s Eye chiles) or Prik Chee Fa (Thai Dragon chiles) and place in a glass jar (1 pint size), Fill with rice vineagar. For a real zip I use coconut vinegar.

Prik siyu wan:
Slice 2/3 cup Prik Chee Fa (Thai Dragon chiles) or jalapenos in a glass jar (1 pint size), Fill jar with sweet dark soy sauce.

Khing ki mao:
Julienne 2/3 cup of fresh ginger into match stick sized pieces. Place in a 1 pint jar. Add half a cup of Mekong whiskey (Mekong is a whiskey made from Rice. If you can't find it use rum or sherry. Add half a cup of rice vinegar, and fill up the jar with fish sauce.

Prik nam siyu wan:
¼ cup grated fresh ginger, ¼ cup chopped shallots, ¼ cup sliced prik chi fa (Thai Dragon Chiles) Place in a glass jar and fill with Sweet dark soy stirring to eliminate air bubbles. Seal and keep in the refrigerator for a week.

Pak nam pla
¼ cup onions, celery & Chinese white radish, sliced; Fish sauce
Place ingredients in a 1 cup container, fill with fish sauce, stir briefly and top off Keep in the fridge for a week.