Nam Jim Seafood Recipe (Thai Seafood Dipping Sauce)
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This authentic nam jim seafood recipe is an easy Thai seafood dipping sauce you can make in minutes for dipping shrimp, squid, crab, grilled fish, or even grilled meats.
This is the sauce I always make when we grill seafood at home. I never buy bottled versions because homemade tastes much better and lets you control the heat and sweetness.
What readers say:
“This was so easy and fresh tasting. I used it with the Fried Squid recipe and everyone loved it. This sauce will liven up fish and chips too!”
— Tadgh
What is nam jim seafood?
Nam jim seafood (นำ้จิ้มซีฟู้ด), also called nam jim talay, is a spicy Thai dipping sauce made with chilies, garlic, lime juice, palm sugar, and fish sauce. It’s tangy, slightly sweet, and salty, with enough heat to wake up anything you dip into it.
In Thailand, this is the sauce for seafood. Just like we use nam jim jaew for grilled meats and mookata sauce for BBQ, we use this for pretty much everything that comes from the sea.
Every household makes it a little differently, and most Thai families have their own version passed down over time.
Green vs red
There isn’t just one version of this dipping sauce. In Thailand, we have two different types:
Red nam jim seafood
Made with red chilies and often roasted peanuts, giving it a deeper color and richer flavor. I like this version with grilled squid, crab, or lobster.
Made with fresh green chilies, lots of lime, and herbs like cilantro (coriander). It’s brighter, zestier, and often served with shrimp or grilled fish.
The choice really comes down to your preference and what you’re serving.
Learn Thai cooking step by step
My cookbook is a combination of authentic Thai recipes and Western dishes cooked with Thai flavors and ingredients. It’s a great starting point if you’re new to Thai cooking or want to cook it more often.
Ingredient notes & substitutes
You can find everything at Asian grocery stores or markets. Head to the recipe card for the exact measurements.
- Palm sugar: This gives the sauce its signature mellow sweetness with a light caramel note. It tastes deeper than white or brown sugar and balances the lime and chilies.
- Fish sauce: Salty and savory, this is where most of the umami comes from. I highly recommend using Megachef for the best results.
- Roasted peanuts: These add a gentle nuttiness and extra depth. Roasting them first makes a big difference in flavor.
- Chilies: Any fresh red chilies work here. I always use lots of Thai bird’s eye or Jinda chilies, but feel free to adjust the amount depending on how spicy you like it.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is key.
- Lime: Always use fresh lime juice.
Traditionally, nam jim talay is made with a mortar and pestle, which releases the natural oils in the chilies and garlic. But using a food processor is completely fine too. I’ve written instructions for both methods, so just use whichever you have.
Recommended tool
I use a stone mortar and pestle to make this sauce. The pounding helps release the flavors, letting the lime, fish sauce, and palm sugar come together in a way a blender can’t replicate.
How to make nam jim seafood sauce
Mortar and pestle method:
- Add the garlic and chilies to your mortar and pound until you get a fine paste.
- Add the roasted peanuts and crush them into the paste. They don’t need to be perfectly smooth.
- Add the palm sugar and fish sauce, then pound and stir until everything comes together into a loose, sauce-like consistency.
- Finish by stirring in the fresh lime juice. Taste and adjust if needed, then serve right away.
Food processor method:
- Add the garlic, chilies, roasted peanuts, palm sugar, and fish sauce to your food processor. Pulse until you have a sauce with some texture; avoid blending it completely smooth.
- Transfer to a bowl, stir in the lime juice, taste, and adjust before serving.
How it’s served in Thailand
In Thailand, nam jim seafood is served on the side as a dipping sauce. It’s most often used with seafood and grilled dishes, and you’ll usually find it alongside fresh plates at the table. It’s also great with sticky rice.
Transfer it to a small bowl or individual dipping cups, sprinkle a little fresh coriander on top if you like, and serve right away. It’s most often paired with:
Make-ahead & storage
You can make this in advance and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The flavor actually improves after a few hours.
Just use a clean spoon each time so it stays fresh.
Nam Jim Seafood Recipe (Thai Seafood Dipping Sauce)
Equipment
- Measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 2 cloves garlic
- 4 red chilies, adjust to taste
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts
- 2½ tbsp palm sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ lime
Instructions
Mortar and pestle method
- Pound the garlic and chilies until you have a fine paste.
- Add the roasted peanuts and crush until mostly broken down (a little texture is good).
- Add palm sugar and fish sauce, then pound and stir until everything comes together into a loose sauce.
- Stir in fresh lime juice, taste, and adjust if needed. Serve right away.
Food processor method
- Add garlic, chilies, roasted peanuts, palm sugar, and fish sauce to a food processor.
- Pulse until you get a sauce with some texture (don’t blend completely smooth).
- Transfer to a bowl, stir in lime juice, taste, and adjust before serving.
Video
@hungryinthailand.com Grilled squid with nam jim seafood #thaifood #spicydip #thairecipe #spicy
♬ พิณลำเพลิน - Phin Lum Plean - หนุ่ม ภูไท
Notes
- Use the nutrition card in this recipe as a guideline.
This was so easy and fresh tasting. I used it with the Fried Squid recipe and everyone loved it. This sauce will liven up fish and chips too!
Thank you so much! I’m really glad you tried two recipes at once!