Sweet And Sour Fish Sauce Recipe Vietnamese (Nuoc Mam)

Mastering the recipe for Vietnamese dipping fish sauce is essential for elevating your meals. This sweet and tangy dipping sauce is a staple in most Vietnamese dishes. The preparation is straightforward and uncomplicated, making it accessible for anyone to make.

To create Vietnamese dipping fish sauce, home cooks typically use fish sauce as the main ingredient. They often prepare a batch in advance and store it in the refrigerator for convenient use during daily meals. Adjusting the proportions of the ingredients in this dipping sauce can be tailored to suit each family’s taste preferences.

What is Vietnamese Dipping Sauce?

Considered the soul of many dishes, Vietnamese dipping sauce is crafted from a blend of ingredients including fish sauce, water, sugar, and lime. Depending on personal preference and regional variations, garlic or chili may also be added. The primary ingredient is pure fish sauce, made from sea salt, anchovies, and water. Typically served in a small bowl or dish, this dipping sauce allows diners to dip or pour it over the main dish, enhancing the flavor to their liking.

There is no region or locality in Vietnam that does not use fish sauce. As history has evolved, so too has Vietnamese culinary culture, giving rise to hundreds of varieties of dipping sauces with incredibly diverse flavors.

Which Dishes are Paired with Vietnamese Dipping Sauce?

Vietnamese people use a variety of dipping sauces to create unique flavors for different dishes. Among these, the sweet and tangy fish sauce is particularly popular. This sauce can be found accompanying many Vietnamese dishes, such as southern-style pancakes (bánh xèo), vermicelli with grilled pork (bún thịt nướng), steamed rice rolls (bánh cuốn), fine rice vermicelli (bánh hỏi), fried fish, spring rolls (chả giò), salads (gỏi), broken rice (cơm tấm), and fresh spring rolls (phở cuốn). Additionally, many enjoy this sweet and tangy fish sauce with almost any dish, from seafood and steamed or boiled dishes to grilled items like roasted eggplant, grilled pork, and grilled ribs.

Two Popular Recipes for Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce

The taste of sweet and tangy garlic chili fish sauce varies according to each family’s preference. Here are two popular methods used by Vietnamese home cooks that you can try:

Recipe for Sweet and Tangy Fish Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon of high-quality fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon of seedless lime juice
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 4 tablespoons of boiled water, cooled
• Minced garlic and chili, adjusted to taste

Instructions:

1. Finely mince the garlic and chili, and squeeze the lime to extract the juice, removing the seeds.
2. In a bowl, mix 4 tablespoons of water with 1 tablespoon of sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of lime juice and 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, and mix well.
4. Finally, add the minced garlic and chili, stirring to combine.

By following this sequence, the garlic and chili will remain suspended in the sauce, even if left for hours, rather than sinking to the bottom. This is because the garlic and chili will absorb water, which prevents them from settling and ensures your sweet and tangy fish sauce looks appetizing.

The finished sauce will have a delicious, balanced flavor. If you prefer a saltier, sweeter, or more tangy taste, you can adjust the quantities of sugar, lime, and fish sauce to your liking.

Recipe for Long-Lasting Sweet and Tangy Fish Sauce

If your family frequently enjoys fish sauce and you want to save time by not making it fresh each time, here is a recipe for a long-lasting sweet and tangy fish sauce. This method is time-efficient and provides ready-to-use dipping sauce. The addition of pineapple to the fish sauce gives it a thick, delicious texture and flavor. The ingredients you’ll need include:

• Garlic and chili
• 1 pineapple
• Fish sauce, vinegar, sugar
• Water

Steps to Make Long-Lasting Sweet and Tangy Fish Sauce:

1. Peel the pineapple, remove the eyes and core, then cut it into bite-sized pieces.
2. Peel the garlic, remove the stems from the chili, and finely blend both in a food processor.
3. In a pot, combine 1 cup of fish sauce, 1 cup of sugar, and 1 cup of water. Cook and stir until the ingredients are well combined.
4. Add the pineapple pieces to the pot and continue to cook over low heat until the mixture boils and reduces by half. Then, turn off the heat.
5. Once the mixture has completely cooled, remove the pineapple pieces. Add the blended garlic and chili, and 2 tablespoons of vinegar, stirring well.
6. Pour the mixture into a container with a tight-fitting lid and store it in the refrigerator.

This sauce will maintain its flavor and be readily available for any meal, saving you time and ensuring you always have a delicious dipping sauce on hand.

With just a few simple steps, you can create a deliciously sweet, tangy, and slightly spicy fish sauce that is both flavorful and enticing. The perfect fish sauce boasts a characteristic amber color, with a visually appealing mix of white garlic and red chili.

This fish sauce recipe can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week. However, it is best to use it as soon as possible to ensure its optimal flavor. Make sure the container or bottle used to store the fish sauce is thoroughly cleaned and dried to prevent spoilage.

Keep in mind that the aroma and taste of the dipping sauce depend on the quality of fish sauce you choose. Culinary experts recommend using fish sauce with a 40-degree protein level for the best flavor. Additionally, using red chili peppers instead of bird’s eye chilies is a great option as they provide a vibrant color and a milder spice, making the sauce suitable for children.

Nutritional Value of Vietnamese Fish Sauce Dipping Recipe

Each serving of this dipping sauce provides 43 calories, 1g of fat, 775mg of sodium, 28mg of potassium, 11g of carbohydrates, 10g of sugar, and 1g of protein. Additionally, it contains 3mg of vitamin C, 4mg of calcium, and 1mg of iron.

I hope these insights have helped you master the recipe for Vietnamese sweet and tangy fish sauce, reminiscent of childhood flavors. You can make a sufficient amount to store for up to a week. The method is quite simple, so even those who are inexperienced or clumsy in the kitchen can easily give it a try. Enjoy!