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A clear glass bowl of Nuoc Cham.
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Nuoc Cham

You're 5 minutes from a big batch of homemade Nuoc Cham. This lively Vietnamese dipping sauce and dressing is incredible tossed with noodles, in meat marinades, as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, and more.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Asian, Vietnamese
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 8 servings (2 tablespoons each)
Calories 16kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, whisk together warm water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in garlic, fish sauce, lime juice, and chili garlic sauce.

Notes

  • Fish sauce: Fish sauce is a funky and powerful condiment used in Vietnamese and Thai cooking. Make sure it’s a clear, amber color when you hold it up to the light. Anything that looks murky, is dark brown, or has sediment is likely not so good. I use Three Crabs brand or Red Boat.
  • Lime juice: Or substitute 1 tablespoon rice vinegar or white vinegar for the 2 tablespoons lime juice. The flavor will change, but it’s still delicious.
  • Chili garlic sauce: A little goes a long way with this tangy, spicy, and aromatic condiment. Think of it like sriracha's sharper, chunkier cousin. While sriracha formulas include some sugar to balance the heat, chili garlic sauce is sugar-free and contains visible chili seeds and diced garlic. It's thinner than chili paste but thicker than drizzly sriracha. Look for chili garlic sauce in jars in the condiment aisle. Huy Fong and Lee Kum Kee are two brands that I trust.
  • Yield: My homemade Nuoc Cham recipe makes 2 cups, or 8 servings of dipping sauce, 2 tablespoons each.
  • Storage: Keep Nuoc Cham in an airtight container, such as a mason jar, in the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving: 2 tbsp | Calories: 16kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 532mg | Potassium: 41mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 323IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 7mg | Iron: 1mg