This is a wonderful (and easy) sauce for summertime, when you really want a combination of sweet, sour, salty and spicy. There are many Vietnamese dipping sauces, but this is a basic and classic version. As with much of Vietnamese cuisine, use the best ingredients you can afford, which isn't tough considering it's mostly veggies. I serve this dipping sauce with fried seafood, but it would also be nice with steamed fish. This recipe makes enough for 4.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 chopped garlic cloves
- 3 chopped small hot chiles such as Thai or serrano
- 4 T. sugar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 6 T. lime juice
- 1/3 cup water
Preparation:
You can make the dipping sauce either in a food processor or in a mortar and pestle; I use a mortar and pestle, so I'll start with that method.
Put the sugar, chiles and garlic in the mortar and pound it to mush -- it'll take 3-5 minutes. Then add the lime juice, soy sauce and water and mix well. Doing this melds the flavors better.
But, if you don't have a mortar, buzz it all in a food processor set on its high setting.
Serve this chilled or at room temperature; chilled is better for lunch on a hot day.