Nước Chấm

Name: Classic Vietnamese Dipping Sauce
Prep time: PT0D0H0M
Cook time: PT0D0H5M
Total time: PT0D0H5M
Ingredients: ⅓ cup lime juice; 3 Tbsp. sugar; ⅓ cup fish sauce; 2 bird’s-eye chiles, thinly sliced; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

You only need five ingredients, including fish sauce and lime juice, for this ultra-versatile Vietnamese condiment.

Time
5 minutes

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MURRAY HALL; FOOD STYLING BY JESSIE YUCHEN

By Andrea Nguyen

Updated on January 24, 2024

Nước chấm, a sweet-sour Vietnamese condiment, can add zing to any number of Vietnamese dishes—from chả giò (fried spring rolls), also known as nem rán, to bun cha (grilled meatballs with vermicelli). Make this nước chấm recipe from cookbook author Andrea Nguyen, who encourages adjusting the amounts of lime juice, fish sauce, and sugar to suit your taste and achieve the desired balance of sour, salty, and sweet.

Ingredients

⅓ cup lime juice
3 Tbsp. sugar
⅓ cup fish sauce
2 bird’s-eye chiles, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

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Instructions

Step 1

In a medium bowl, stir together the lime juice, sugar, and ⅔ cup warm water until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the fish sauce, chiles, and garlic. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container to keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. (Optionally, set aside the nước chấm at room temperature for up to 24 hours before serving or refrigerating, to let the flavors further meld.)