How can I recreate a specific sauce at home?

could also be nam jim jaew if there was a smoky note hiding in there, thats the one from Isaan, toasted rice powder is the giveaway. its fish sauce, lime, tamarind, palm sugar, dried chili flakes and khao khua (toasted sticky rice pounded coarse). the rice powder doesn't thicken it much but gives it a slightly cloudy look and that nutty thing you cant quite place. if you dont have tamarind, a bit of the concentrate from Villa Market works, the fresh stuff at Khlong Toei is better tho.

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if it was more sour than salty then you might be thinking of nam jim seafood instead. that one leans on lime, sugar, garlic and fresh chilies, sometimes a spoon of nam pla but way less, and it stays watery on purpose. taste as u go, the ratio really depends on the limes, bangkok limes are pretty potent so start with one and add.

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sounds like nam pla prik, the thin Thai sauce. its basically fish sauce lime juice chilies garlic and a bit of sugar, adjust till it tastes right. the runny texture is normal, don't try to thicken it.

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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