Family Ngapi Sauce

Another in the family of pungent village sauces from the Bamar tradition, this close relative of a southern Thai nam prik starts with shrimp paste (ngapi) that is toasted to soften its pungency and then stirred into a flavor paste. Unlike Pungent Essence of Burma, where preserved fish is a main ingredient, this one is made of garlic, green chile, and dried shrimp powder. Its Bamar name, ngapi taun, means “crushed or pounded ngapi.</