Nam prik is kind of like the “veggies and dip” of Thai cuisine, but instead of carrot sticks, there’s boiled bitter melon (and other vegetables) and in place of ranch dressing, it’s fermented shrimp paste and roasted chilies!
Nam prik is a very general term for any kind of spicy chili sauce that is normally eaten as a condiment or dipping sauce for fried fish and lots of boiled vegetables.
Though there are a crazy amount of different types of nam prik in Thailand, the most popular variations in Bangkok include nam prik kaphi (chili sauce with fermented shrimp paste), nam prik pla too (chili sauce with de-boned mackerel fish) and nam prik pla raa (chili sauce with fermented fish sauce).