Namprik Ong Recipe

Prepare chilies and aromatics

Remove stems from dried long red chilies and bird's eye chilies. Toast them gently in a dry skillet over medium heat 20–30 seconds per side until fragrant (do not burn). Soak toasted chilies in warm water for 10–15 minutes to soften, then drain. In the same skillet, toast shrimp paste for 10–20 seconds until fragrant (optional) and set aside to cool.

Make chili paste

In a mortar and pestle or a small blender, pound/blend the softened dried chilies, shallots, garlic, toasted shrimp paste, and coriander root/stems into a coarse paste. Add a pinch of salt to help break down fibers. If using a blender, add 1–2 tbsp water to help it come together. The paste should be fragrant and slightly coarse.

Sauté paste

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wide skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the chili-shallot-garlic paste and fry, stirring, 3–4 minutes until aromatic and oil separates, taking care not to burn.

Cook pork

Add the ground pork to the skillet. Increase heat to medium-high and break pork into small pieces with a spatula. Stir-fry until pork is mostly cooked and beginning to brown, about 6–8 minutes. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil if the pan is dry.

Add tomatoes and season

Add chopped tomatoes to the pork and paste. Stir to combine, crushing some tomato pieces with the back of your spatula. Pour in 100 ml water or pork stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered 10–12 minutes until tomatoes break down and mixture thickens. Season with fish sauce, palm sugar, and soy sauce (if using). Taste and adjust—it should be savory, mildly sweet, and balanced with chili heat. Finish with lime juice, stir, and remove from heat.

If you prefer a smoother texture, mash the mixture lightly with a fork or use an immersion blender for 10–15 seconds, leaving some coarse texture. Keep warm until serving.

Prepare pork skin

Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Pat pork skin/fat dry with paper towel. Score into strips if not already done. Toss with sea salt and smoked paprika to coat evenly. Let sit 10 minutes while oven preheats.

Roast until crackling

Place pork skin pieces on a rack set over a baking tray (skin side up). Roast 45–60 minutes at 160°C until fat has rendered and skin is crisping. For extra crispness, increase oven to 220°C (430°F) for the last 5–8 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning. Remove and drain on paper towels; break into bite-sized cracklings.

Prepare vegetables

Wash and drain all vegetables. Slice cucumber into sticks. Blanche long beans in boiling salted water for 1–2 minutes until bright green and just tender, then plunge into ice water to stop cooking; drain and cut into 6 cm lengths. Arrange cabbage/lettuce leaves and any other vegetables on a serving platter.

Assemble and serve

Spoon the hot nam prik ong into a shallow bowl. Top with a handful of crunchy pork cracklings for texture. Serve immediately with the platter of seasonal vegetables for dipping and wrapping. Provide extra lime wedges and fish sauce on the side if desired.