Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce)
A spicy dipping sauce made of fish sauce, chilies, garlic, sugar, and lime juice, this is a staple of Vietnamese cuisine.
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 38kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups warm water
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- ½ cup coconut sugar (substitute palm sugar)
- 2 Thai chilies diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ¾ cup fish sauce
Instructions
- Whisk together the lime, warm water and sugar until the sugar has dissolved.
- Slowly add the fish sauce, a little at a time until you reach your desired flavor. I find the amount in the recipe is perfect, but every one has their own tastes.
- Add the chilies and garlic and let it stand for 20 minutes at room temperature before serving.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months.
Notes
- Adjust the amount of chilies to your spice preference. Remember that Thai chilies can be extremely spicy.
- Use warm water to help the sugar dissolve.
- Add the fish sauce slowly, tasting along the way, until you get the perfect flavor. You may have to add more/less depending on your preference.
- For a sweeter nuoc cham, reduce the amount of fish sauce to 5 tablespoons.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.25cups | Calories: 38kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1383mg | Potassium: 86mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 86IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg