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Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce

The quintessential Vietnamese table sauce - a bright, balanced blend of fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, and chili. Ready in minutes, it serves as a dip, dressing, or drizzle for spring rolls, grilled meats, rice noodles, and salads.

10 minEasyServes 835 cal/serving

VietnameseSauceNo-CookStandardLow CarbDairy-FreeEgg-FreeGluten-FreeLow-SodiumPork-FreeCorn-Free

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 4 tsp granulated sugar
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 red Thai chili or Fresno chili, thinly sliced
  • 2 tsp rice vinegar

Instructions

  1. 1

    Combine 4 tsp granulated sugar and 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves completely, about 1 minute.

  2. 2

    Add 1/4 cup fish sauce, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, and 2 tsp rice vinegar and stir to combine.

  3. 3

    Stir in 2 minced garlic cloves and 2 thinly sliced red Thai chili or Fresno chili.

  4. 4

    Taste and adjust: more lime juice for tang, more fish sauce for depth, more sugar for sweetness.

  5. 5

    Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Stir before using.

Questions

Can I make Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce ahead?

Yes, it takes well to being made ahead. Refrigerated in a sealed jar, it keeps four to five days. It also freezes flat in a bag for up to three months.

Can I halve or double Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce?

Yes. As written it serves 8. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. There is no cooking pitfall here; the quantities simply scale.

Serve it with

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