Ingredients
Base
- 4 tablespoonsngapi, fermented fish paste
- 800 mlwater
- 6garlic cloves, sliced
- 2shallots, sliced
- 3cm ginger, sliced
- 2tomatoes, chopped
- 3green chillies, split
- 1 teaspoonground turmeric
To finish
- 1 tablespoontamarind water
- 1 teaspoonsugar
- salt, only if needed
- a squeeze of lime
To serve
- raw vegetables, in wedges and batons
- blanched greens
- steamed rice
Directions
- Slice the garlic, shallots and ginger. Chop the tomatoes up quite roughly. Put the water into a large pot.
- Add the ngapi and break it up with a spoon. Whisk it so it dissolves into the water. Add all the aromatics and the turmeric. Bring it to a boil over a medium heat.
- Let it cook for about twenty-five minutes. Skim any foam off the surface. Pour the whole pot through a fine sieve. Press the solids hard with the back of a ladle. Discard the fibres and bones left behind. The result should be a thin brown liquid.
- Return the strained liquid to the pot. Simmer it for five more minutes to reduce. Add the tamarind water and the sugar.
- Taste it carefully before adding any salt. Most batches need no salt at all. Add a squeeze of lime at the end. It should be salty, savoury and lightly sour.
- Add water if it has reduced too far. Cut them into wedges and batons. Blanch okra and long beans for one minute.
- Serve cucumber and cabbage raw. Arrange them all on a platter. Serving it is done in a small bowl. Set the bowl of ngapi yay on the platter. It keeps three days refrigerated.
Technique
- Ngapi comes in many forms in Myanmar, from wet pastes to whole fermented fish, and each is used differently.
- Ngapi yay is one of several ngapi-based dips, and ngapi kyaw is a fried, thicker relish.
Substitutions
- Thai kapi is the closest substitute and is much more widely sold.
- Anchovy paste is a distant approximation and gives a quite different result.
Variations
- Some households add dried shrimp for extra depth.
- A version with pounded fresh chilli stirred in at the end is hotter.
- Ngapi kyaw is a thicker fried version eaten as a relish rather than a dip.
Frequently asked questions
What is Ngapi Yay?
Ngapi Yay is a sauce & condiment from Myanmar: thin fish-paste dip simmered with garlic and chilli, eaten with raw vegetables.
How long does Ngapi Yay take to make?
Ngapi Yay takes 15 minutes of preparation and 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 6 as a dip. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Ngapi Yay?
Yes, within limits. Thai kapi is the closest substitute and is much more widely sold. Anchovy paste is a distant approximation and gives a quite different result.
What is the most important thing to get right in Ngapi Yay?
Let it cook for about twenty-five minutes. Skim any foam off the surface. Pour the whole pot through a fine sieve. Press the solids hard with the back of a ladle. Discard the fibres and bones left behind. The result should be a thin brown liquid.
