Vietnamese Fish Dipping Sauce (Nước Mắm Pha)
Photo: Bodhi Peace, CC BY-SA 4.0
Nước mắm pha is the thin, salty-sweet dipping sauce Vietnamese restaurants set out for rolls and grilled dishes. It is made at the table's pace, not the stove's: a small amount of concentrated fish sauce is diluted with water, then balanced with sugar, lemon juice, garlic and a little chile. Make a batch and keep it in the fridge, and summer rolls and spring rolls will always have something to dip into.
Instructions
Measure the concentrated fish sauce, water, lemon juice, sugar, garlic and sambal oelek into a bowl or jar.
Stir everything together until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce looks evenly mixed.
If you like, bring the mixture to a boil that cannot be stirred down. Expect a strong smell while it cooks.
Cover the sauce and refrigerate it until you are ready to serve.
Spoon it into small individual bowls for the table. A little julienned carrot on top is a common finish.
Make it personal.
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