Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce)
Recipe GLPR999b3dca815194
A bright and tangy Vietnamese dipping sauce that balances heat, sweetness, and umami. This traditional condiment combines fresh lime juice, fragrant garlic, and spicy Thai chiles with fish sauce and sweet carrots for a perfectly balanced accompaniment to spring rolls, grilled meats, and noodle dishes.
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Ingredients
4 tbsp. sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced
4 tbsp. fish sauce
2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
2 tbsp. finely shredded carrots
6 tbsp. warm water
Directions
In a mortar or small bowl, combine the minced garlic, minced Thai chiles, and sugar. Using a pestle or the back of a spoon, gently pound and stir the ingredients together until the sugar begins to dissolve and the garlic and chiles release their oils, about 1 minute.
Add the fish sauce and fresh lime juice to the mortar or bowl. Stir well to combine all ingredients and dissolve any remaining sugar.
Slowly add the warm water while stirring continuously until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. The sauce should be slightly thick but pourable.
Stir in the shredded carrots and mix until evenly distributed throughout the sauce.
Taste and adjust the balance of flavors as needed—add more lime juice for extra tang, more fish sauce for deeper umami, or more sugar for sweetness. Let the sauce sit for at least 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
