Spicy Sweet and Sour Relish for Seafood
Nam Jim Seafood
A quick sweet-sour shallot, garlic, and chili relish for seafood and snacks
- Prep
- 4 min
- Cook
- 1 min
- Serves
- 4
- Heat
- medium
This relish is a workhorse condiment, built to be splashed over anything that could use a little brightness — fried fish, grilled squid, fish balls, meat snacks, even salads. A simple sugar syrup, cooled and mixed with fish sauce and lime, becomes the base for thin-sliced shallot and garlic to steep in for a short marinade, softening their sharpness just slightly while keeping real bite. Made in only a few minutes with pantry staples, it doesn't keep well once mixed, so it's best made fresh right before the meal it's meant to accompany.
Ingredients
- 5-6 Red shallots (peeled, halved, sliced thin)
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon Fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon Thai hot chili (sliced very thin)
- 1 tablespoon Garlic (finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup Water
Directions
- Peel and halve the shallots, then slice thin. Slice the chili very thin. Finely chop the garlic. Squeeze the lime juice.
- Heat the water in a small saucepan. Once hot, add the sugar and stir until it melts — do not let it boil.
- Let the sugar water cool, then transfer to a small bowl. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, shallots, and garlic.
- Let marinate for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.
- Serve at room temperature. It doesn't keep long, but leftovers can be refrigerated for a day or two.
Notes
Slice the shallots and chili thin and even — this relish is meant to be spooned generously over food, so uniform, thin pieces make it easier to eat alongside whatever it's served with.
Substitutions
Red Thai hot chilies can replace green for a spicier, more traditional version of this relish.