{ Tuna Nam Prik }

When I think of Nam Prik I think of a sound of some Thai chillies and other spices are being mashed with a pestle in a stone mortar that my grandmother used to make. Nam Prik could be prepared in many way, but ones that my grandmother often make were Nam Prik Kapi (Thai chili paste with shrimp paste) and Nam Prik Pla Pon (Pla-tu?) (Thai chili paste with Indian Mackerel), these two dishes go really well with rice and fresh vegetable. Since Nam Prik was a well known dish in Thailand and you can walk less than a mile to get some kind of Nam Prik (and I believe they are also available at 7-11 stores in Thailand), I never bother to make one myself. Luckily when I moved to United States I still get to taste Nam Prik and finally learn how to make it from my mother. It has actually been awhile that I haven't made or even tasted one, I'm actually glad that a few of my friends, who I used to have them try this dish reminded me of it, so, today's dish is specially made for my friends (whom I haven't seen in ages!!!) and for the sake of the old time. ///By the way, this is a very garlicky and oniony dish!///

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{2-3 servings}

Ingredients:

• 1 can of tuna
• 4-5 peeled onion shallots
• 6-7 peeled garlic cloves
• 2-3 dried Thai chillies
• 3-4 fresh Thai chillies
• 1/3 cup of chopped cilantro
• 1/3 cup of chopped green onions
• 3-4 tbsp of lime juice
• 3-4 tbsp of fish sauce
• 1/3 tsp of sugar (optional)
• 5 tbsp of vegetable broth (optional)

///Cucumber and carrots goes really well with this dish. And a bowl of rice!///

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{ Roasted garlic, onion shallots, Thai chilies, Thai dried chillies. }

1. In a medium saucepan, set the stove to medium-high heat, and pan roast garlic, shallots, and Thai fresh chillies, stir the ingredients occasionally for about 5 minutes.

2. In a bowl, mix roasted ingredients, dried Thai chillies, and tuna together.

3. Mash all the ingredients in a bowl with mortar and pestle (to be traditional) or simply just chop it in a food processor.

4. Place the chopped ingredients back in a bowl then add lime juice, fish sauce, green onion, cilantro, sugar and vegetable broth.

///I normally put them all back in a saucepan and cook it for a minute then let it cool before I serve.///

Voila!

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