Spicy Thai Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)

spatchcock's Note:

This is really good with spring rolls or egg rolls. The proportions in this recipe are highly individual. When I make it, I often do not add two serranos, and I also usually end up adding more sugar. This may taste funny if you just sip it, but try dipping an egg roll in it....heaven!!

• Total Time: 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• ¼ cup Thai fish sauce
• 1 -2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 -2 Thai chiles or 1 -2 hot red chili peppers or 1 -2 serrano chili , seeded and thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove , minced

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl; let stand 10 minutes.

Reviews

[Chef #472116]

There are many variants of this sauce but most of them require galangal, lemon grass, shallots, and most importantly, coriander. These ingredients are essential in Thai cuisine, these would have given the recipe a bit more authenticity.

[Picholine]

This sauce is also called Nuoc Cham and most variations call for lime juice (the Joy of Cooking allowed a mixture of lime juice and rice vinegar), so that's what I used. I used one serrano pepper and it had the right degree of spicyness. I used two garlic cloves (less was too mild). And I ended up adding a little more sugar. I think the proportions in this recipe vary according to individual taste. All in all, it turned out great, though a bit on the salty side, but that's the fish sauce (I might use less next time). Thanks for getting me to try making this at home!