nuoc cham

(from BlueFinger’s recipe box)

vietnamese sauce for bun bo xao etc
This sauce is likely to be used to add final flavor to foods wrapped in lettuce or herbs, which are not salted and therefore need a little lift to heighten the overall eating experience. My mother looks for color to gauge her dipping sauce. When it’s a light honey or amber, she knows she’s close.

Source: http://www.vietworldkitchen.com/recipes/basics/nuoccham.htm

Categories: asian, sauce, vietnamese

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons lime juice (1 fat, thin skin lime)
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 21/2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 small garlic clove, finely minced [optional]
  • 1-2 Thai chilis [optional]

Directions

  1. Combine the lime juice, sugar and water, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

  2. Taste and adjust the flavours to balance out the sweet and sour.

  3. Add the fish sauce and any of the optional ingredients.

  4. Taste again and adjust the flavors to your liking, balancing out the sour, sweet, salty and spicy. Aim for a bold, forward finish — perhaps a little stronger than what you’d normally like

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