Nước Chấm Recipe
Posted by dacbietfood on January 26, 2010
 Nước Chấm from Quán Ăn Ngon Restaurant in Saigon |
 Nước Chấm with pickled daikon and carrots for bánh khọt at Quán Ăn Ngon |
When you buy fish sauce (nước mắm) in a glass bottle from the Asian market, the nước mắm is highly concentrated. For Vietnamese cooking, you add only a small amount to a dish for a fishy and salty accent since it is quite potent. Nước chấm is the diluted version of nước mắm that can be used as dipping sauce for a number of Vietnamese dishes like bánh xèo and bánh cuon, or as sort of a dressing for gỏi and bún dishes. Below is a basic recipe which is on the sweeter side, so use less sugar if you prefer a saltier nước chấm.
Makes about 1 cup
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1/3 cup bottled fish sauce
1. Bring sugar, water, and vinegar to a boil until sugar is dissolved
2. Remove from heat and add fish sauce
3. Cool completely before serving
Fresh jalapenos, Sriracha, garlic, lime, or pickled daikon and carrots can be added to the basic recipe.
