Chili-&-tomato dip (nam prik num)

Yield: 1 Servings S

Ingredients:

2 lg Banana chilies or New -Mexican or yellow wax hot -chilies
3 lg Shallots peeled and halved
5 Cloves garlic peeled
2 Medium-sized ripe tomatoes -(1/2 lb.)
1 tb Chopped fresh cilantro
2 tb Fish sauce
1 tb Fresh lime juice

Instructions:

Serve as a dip with raw vegetables or as a condiment. If the chilies are very hot you may want to seed them. Dry-frying a method of roasting is simply frying without fat. Heat a large heavy skillet over high heat. Add whole chilies and dry-fry for about 4 minutes pressing down with a wooden spoon and turning occasionally. Add shallots and garlic to the skillet and continue to dry-fry turning occasionally. for about 5 minutes or until the chili skins are blackened. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cool. Add tomatoes to the skillet and dry-fry for about 5 minutes turning occasionally or until the skins are blackened. Let cool. Remove stems from the chilies and cut in half lengthwise. (Do not remove skins.) Remove seeds if you prefer less heat. Core the tomatoes and cut into quarters. (Do not remove skins.) Place chilies tomatoes shallots and garlic in a food processor and pulsing process until the mixture is coarsely chopped and salsa-like in texture (not pureed). Alternatively chop vegetables finely with a knife. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and stir in cilantro fish sauce and lime juice. (The dip can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator.) Makes 1 1/4 cups. 7 CALORIES PER TABLESPOON: 0 G PROTEIN 0 G FAT 2 G CARBOHYDRATE; 12 MG SODIUM; 0 MG CHOLESTEROL. From "Eating Well" Jan/Feb 1992.