Name: Nam Yum (Basic Thai Salad Dressing)
Ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon firmly packed Thai palm sugar, plus more as needed; 2 fresh or dried Thai or serrano chiles, seeded if desired; 3 large garlic cloves; 2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste; 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more to taste

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon firmly packed Thai palm sugar, plus more as needed
2 fresh or dried Thai or serrano chiles, seeded if desired
3 large garlic cloves
2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, plus more to taste

Steps

Pound sugar with a mortar and pestle until finely ground. Add chiles, and pound until crushed into large pieces. Add garlic cloves, and pound until lightly crushed but still intact. Transfer to a small bowl. Add fish sauce and lime juice; stir until sugar is dissolved. Let stand until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with additional fish sauce and lime juice. The final sauce will taste tangy, salty, moderately spicy, and slightly pungent.