Using a fork to crush the garlic for the aioli leaves it sweeter and less pungent while still breaking down the fibrous cloves for a creamy dipping sauce. Serve the shrimp alongside ramekins of aioli and nam jim seafood sauce for dipping, or arrange the shrimp around the rim of a coupe glass filled with nam jim for more intense flavor.
Ingredients
Aioli
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4 large garlic cloves (about 1/2 ounce), unpeeled
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1 cup mayonnaise
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1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
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½ teaspoon flaky sea salt (such as Maldon), plus more to taste
Nam Jim Seafood Sauce
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1 cup fish sauce
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¼ cup granulated sugar
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½ cup fresh lime juice
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6 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
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12 medium-size fresh green and red Thai chiles (about 1/2 ounce), stemmed and finely chopped (about 4 teaspoons)
Additional Ingredients
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2 pounds peeled and deveined tail-on raw large shrimp, cooked and chilled
Description
Make the aioli
Rest a fork flat on 1 garlic clove with tines curving down; press down on garlic with the palm of your hand so the fork bruises the garlic. (The peel should come off easily.) Discard peel. Continue mashing down with fork until garlic appears minced. Repeat process with remaining unpeeled garlic cloves. Stir together minced garlic, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl. Stir in additional lemon juice and salt to taste. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
Make the nam jim seafood sauce
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Whisk together fish sauce and sugar in a medium bowl until sugar is dissolved. Stir in lime juice, garlic, and Thai chiles. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
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Serve chilled shrimp with nam jim seafood sauce and aioli on the side.
Tips: Aioli can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 3 days; nam jim seafood sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.
