Relishes and Accompaniments

No meal is considered complete without the inclusion of either a Nam Prik or a Lon. Nam Prik is an ancient Thai dish, probably coming with the Thais as they migrated from the south of China 1000 years ago. Nam Priks are always pungent, redolent of roasted kapi (shrimp paste) and hot. They can be as simple as the uncooked Prawn Paste Relish or as complex as Crab and Tamarind. Lons are a much gentler food — pork and prawns for example, simmered in coconut cream, then seasoned with tamarind water, palm sugar and fish sauce. These dips or relishes are always eaten with vegetables — raw, blanched or battered and deep-fried — that are normally cut into bite-sized pieces.