Nam Pi

Nam Pi

　　The function of Nam Pi is to enhance the flavor of main dishes, especially when eating raw vegetables — its effect is particularly noticeable. Without Nam Pi to dip the raw vegetables in, they become hard to swallow and tasteless. The Dai people love to eat and make several types of Nam Pi:

　　1. Nam Pi Pa (Dai language: Nam Pi made from vegetables) is made by boiling greens or vegetable stems until soft, mashing them into a paste, then mixing with an appropriate amount of water and salt to form a dark green paste, which is then dried until slightly sour. It combines the flavors of vegetables and chili, making it most suitable as a seasoning for rice noodles and rice sheets.

　　2. Nam Pi No (Dai language: Nam Pi made from bamboo shoots) is made by pounding pickled sour bamboo shoots into a paste, then mixing with an appropriate amount of salt and small chili peppers to form a paste. The flavor blends sour and spicy perfectly, making it ideal for dipping raw Chinese cabbage and bitter bamboo shoots.

　　3. Nam Pi Bu (Dai language: Nam Pi made from crabs) is made by roasting crabs until golden brown, then pounding them finely, and adding an appropriate amount of warm water and fragrant…

　　4. Nam Pi Ba (Dai language: Nam Pi made from fish) is made using a similar method to Nam Pi Bu (omitted here), with a delicious taste and a sweet aftertaste. It can be used to dip all kinds of raw vegetables.

　　5. Nam Pi Keng Song (Dai language: Nam Pi made from tomatoes) is made by placing tomatoes over charcoal until their skins are charred and blackened, cooling them, then peeling and mashing them into a thick liquid, and adding aromatic herbs and small chili peppers. The taste is moderately sour and spicy with a fragrant aroma, making it most suitable for dipping bitter bamboo shoots. Nam Pi Puguo (Dai language: Nam Pi made from galia melon) is made by roasting galia melon fruit over charcoal until the skin is charred, cooling, then peeling and pounding out the melon juice. After mixing with a small amount of warm water, aromatic herbs and small chili peppers are added. It has a rich fragrance and is most suitable for dipping vegetables blanched in hot water.