Vegetarian Roasted Chili Paste (Nam Prik Pao)

Thai Roasted Chili Paste

This vegetarian version of Thai Roasetd Chili Paste omits the usual dried shrimp and instead uses red fermented tofu, a popular Chinese vegetarian cooking ingredient. The other ingredients though are the authentic Thai ones including palm sugar and tamarind. This recipe can be used to make our Vegetarian Tom Yum Soup recipe or simply enjoyed as a dip for fresh crudite vegetables.

Ingredients

1 piece (200 grams) semi-hard white tofu*, mashed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sliced shallot or red onion
1/4 cup garlic, peel and slice thinly
15 dried Thai chilies (red spur), dry-fried or roasted
1 cube red fermented tofu, about 1 " size
2 tablespoons light Thai soy sauce (not low sodium)
1 tablespoon +1 teaspoon palm sugar
3 tablespoons tamarind juice
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
Fresh vegetables: carrot, cucumber, red bell pepper and Chinese celery

Preparation

Fry tofu in hot oil over medium heat until golden. Remove and drain off excess oil (Do not over-fry or the tofu will become hard). Fry sliced shallot/red onion and garlic, seperately, until golden and crispy. Remove and drain.
In a mortar, pound dried red spur chilies, fried shallot and fried garlic until fine. Add red fermented tofu and continue pounding well. Add fried tofu and pound to combine. Transfer to a pan and saute with 1 tablespoon of the oil reserved from fried shallot. Cook over medium heat until fragrant. Season to taste with light soy sauce, palm sugar, tamarind juice and salt. The taste should have a combination of sour, sweet, salty and slightly hot. Turn off the heat.
Serve in a serving dish and with fresh vegetables.

Serves 4.

*COOK'S NOTES: Semi-hard Tofu is a yellowish white tofu with a slightly strong smell. The texture is hard and it can be kept for 1-2 weeks by storing refrigerated in cold water which has been boiled.