Stir-fried chicken, ‘nahm prik pao’ (chilli jam), morning glory & green mango

In Thailand I have come across a range of delicious chilli jam recipes, the two key types of chilli jam that I have seen most commonly used are grilled or deep-fried. For this dish I have chosen the latter, as it works as a rich base for this amazing stir-fry. Morning glory FYI is referring to the Thai vegetable, that is similar to spinach in flavour and grows along the riverbeds in Thailand.

Deep-fried chilli jam, ‘nahm prik pao’ is an amazing product, it can be let out with stock or coconut cream to create rich salad dressings, glazes, sauces, garnishes for soups or as a dip. However, it is not the easiest thing to make. It involves a lengthy, yet simple process of slicing, frying, drying and then combining with palm sugar, tamarind and fish sauce. To get the best results you need to cook the deep-fries individually as each vegetable cooks at a different rate. Knife skills are quite essential for this one, or to cheat you can slice the vegetables using a mandolin or buy them pre-fried from an Asian supermarket, however bear in mind that fresh is always best. Bare in mind I say chilli jam as a Farang, this is because to me its the best way to describe what the condiment is. However, nahm prik pao could also be describes as a sweet and savoury chilli paste, not too dissimilar to an XO sauce.

The key to making an excellent deep-fried chilli jam comes in the consistency of the deep-fried ingredients. Every ingredient needs to be sliced wafer thin in order for them to cook at an even rate. A light golden crisp on the garlic, shallots, ginger, chillies and prawns comes together to create a rich, smoky, spicy base for the chilli jam. It is incredibly important to have a sharp knife in order to slice these ingredients thin enough. Slicing and cooking deep fries is a difficult game to get right as each stage takes a long time. Bear in mind that it can also go epically wrong at any moment if the oil gets too hot. – The last thing that you want is to burn your deep-fries (or fry your hands).

Although it takes a little effort to get the chilli jam made, you will certainly be pleased to have it in the kitchen. The palm sugar and oil act as a preservative, giving the jam a longer shelf life so its worth the effort as it can sit in the fridge for literally years. I use free-range, corn fed smoked chicken from our awesome supplier ‘Swaledale Foods’ in Yorkshire because I’m a posh bastard and its bloody delicious, but you can use any chicken you like and a smokiness is added naturally to the dish when it is cooked on a high heat in the wok.

Most of the ingredients that are included in this recipe can be sourced from a bog standard supermarket these days, if you’re struggling, pop into your local oriental supermarket, or the Farang Larder, alternatively you can buy online. There are so many banging recipes using this condiment which I’ll make sure to explore in the future on the site because I’ll be honest- I bloody love it, if I could run myself on a nahm prik pao IV drip then I would be doing it right now.

Ingredients

For the Chilli Jam:

• 200g banana shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

• 200g garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

• 1 knob of ginger, peeled and julienned

• 100g dried long red chillies

• 50g dried prawns

• 2 tsp gapi paste (fermented shrimp paste), roasted in tin foil on low heat until aromatic

• 60g palm sugar, roughly chopped

• 100ml fish sauce

• 100ml tamarind water (buy in packs and soak yourself)

• 1 litre cooking oil

For the Stir-Fry Salad:

• 2 chicken breasts, roughly chopped

• 40g green beans, topped & tailed, halved

• 40g basil, washed and picked

• 40g green mango, peeled and julienned

• 40g ong choi (morning glory), roughly chopped

• 2 pinches deep-fried garlic

• 2 pinches deep-fried shallot

• 20g coriander, washed and picked

• 200ml chicken stock

• 1 fresh long red chilli, thinly sliced into chilli’os

• 1 pinch caster sugar

• 1 pinch ground white peppercorns

Instructions

1. Prepare the Chilli Jam:

   • Begin by deep-frying your chilli jam ingredients. Start with the shallots as they have the highest moisture content. Heat the oil to a high temperature in a large wok. Test the oil by dropping a few shallots in; if they float and bubble, it's ready.

   • Stir the shallots in the oil using a fork to ensure even cooking. They tend to colour faster around the pan's edges, so keep stirring. Once golden brown, remove and drain on kitchen paper. Separate any stuck pieces with two forks.

   • Repeat with the garlic, ginger, dried prawns, and dried red chillies. Remember, chillies and prawns take less time due to lower moisture content.

   • Reserve a pinch of crispy garlic and shallots for garnish.

   • Combine all deep-fried ingredients in a food processor or hand blender with half the cooled oil (avoid burning your hard work!). Place on a low heat, add palm sugar and fish sauce, and stir until the sugar caramelises and the jam thickens.

   • Add tamarind water, ensuring the jam is sweet, salty, sour, and hot. Adjust to taste.

2. Make the Stir-Fry:

   • In a hot wok, heat a little of the excess fragrant oil from deep-frying. Add the chicken and cook until browned and hot throughout.

   • Add green beans and morning glory, tossing in the juices, then add chicken stock.

   • Stir in a heaped tablespoon of the chilli jam, creating a thick, flavoursome sauce. Finish with caster sugar and white pepper, then remove from heat.

3. Assemble the Salad:

   • Toss through basil, coriander, and fresh red chilli. Plate the stir-fry and garnish with green mango, deep-fried shallot, and garlic.

Storage Notes: Store any leftover chilli jam in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. It's a versatile condiment that can elevate any dish!

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy making this recipe. Feel free to share your thoughts if you give it a whirl (unless you don't like it, in which case, feel free to bugger off!). Hopefully, I'll see you at Farang soon for a bite.