Thai Dried Chilli Dipping Sauce (น้ำจิ้มแจ่ว)
Author: , http://shesimmers.com/

In Thailand, when you buy Gai Yang (grilled spatchcocked chicken) or Mu Ping (Skewered grilled pork), the vendor almost always gives you two kinds of Nam Jim or dipping sauces to take home along with the grilled protein. One, of course, is the indispensable sweet and tangy chilli sauce; the other is one of the many varieties of the smokier, less sweet dipping sauce, Jaew (แจ่ว). Though not as well known internationally as its sweeter cousin, Jaew is no less a favorite among Thais.

It's difficult to pin down the definitive Jaew recipe since every family has their own way of making it. One thing, however, remains constant: just as the sweet chilli sauce is always made of fresh red chillies, Jaew is always made with dried red chillies. Traditionally, the chillies are lightly toasted over open flame and pounded into tiny flakes. Fresh galangal, another traditional ingredient, is prepared the same way. Then, true to its northeastern origin, toasted rice powder is also a required ingredient in many family recipes. The herbs and aromatics then go into a mixture of fish sauce, lime juice, and sometimes palm sugar.

¼ cup finely sliced shallots
¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon galangal powder, optional
⅓ cup fish sauce
Juice of one lime
2 teaspoons grated palm sugar (or brown sugar)
1 tablespoon of toasted rice powder (Khao Khua ข้าวค) - see below
1 tablespoon of dried red pepper flakes (coarsely ground) - dried red bird's eye chilies (or Italian-style dried red pepper flakes in a pinch)

Mix everything together in a bowl.

Adjust the taste with more fish sauce, lime juice, or sugar, if necessary. The sauce should be predominantly sour and salty.

Makes approximately one cup

Toasted Rice Powder for Thai Cooking – Khao Khua (ข้าวคั่ว)
Author: , http://shesimmers.com/

For your convenience, ready-made toasted rice powder is available in many Asian grocery stores, especially ones specializing in Southeast Asian ingredients. But if you can’t find it in the store, you can make toasted rice powder at home in a jiffy. You only need three things to make all this happen: a skillet, a coffee grinder (or a set of granite or glazed terracotta mortar and pestle), and the right type of rice, namely Thai sticky or glutinous rice. Some people say regular long grain rice works just as well. I disagree. Long grain rice is much more dense than glutinous rice, and while the latter melds seamlessly into the dish, the former tends to create the undesirable gritty texture.

I usually make a small batch — about half a cup of raw rice — at a time to ensure freshness as this is an ingredient I use very little of and not very often. You want to start by setting a skillet over medium-low heat, then add the rice into the skillet and stir and shake every few seconds to make sure the grains are evenly toasted. (Do not be tempted to use high heat to speed up the process, your rice will only be undercooked on the inside and burnt on the outside. And since burnt equals bitter, you don’t want that.)

After 10 minutes or so, the grains will turn medium brown. (They should now resemble brown rice in color.) Remove the skillet from heat and let the rice cool completely. Toasted rice fresh off the stove is very, very hot; I wouldn’t touch it with my hand. Grinding toasted rice while it’s still hot is also a bad idea; it could cause the motor of your coffee grinder to overheat if you choose to grind it in a coffee grinder.

Once the rice has cooled, grind it in a mortar or a coffee grinder, two tablespoons at a time, until a fine powder is achieved. (The texture of pulverized toasted rice should resemble that of stone-ground wholewheat flour — albeit just a tad coarser.) Store your toasted rice powder in an airtight container and keep in the pantry.