See the nem sauce ? Nice, with a bit of sugar and tang, but nothing to go crazy about ?

This nem sauce is the clearest illustration I can think of of how Westernized dishes don’t give justice to the beautiful Vietnamese recipes.

The actual “nem sauce” is called Nuoc Cham. It’s garlickier, spicier, tangier, and turns anything you dip in in sheer gold.

The secret is simple : it’s all about pounding your garlic and chilies, which frees the flavour in a much stronger way than by only chopping. The difference with your usual “nem sauce” is astounding.

Dip anything in it : grilled meats, nems, spring rolls, or use it as a dressing for your Buns (Vietnamese noodle salads), and see for yourself the power of this Nuoc Cham. I fell in love with it the moment I tried it. And it is all done within 10 minutes !

Prik Nam Som – Ingredients & advice

• Depending on which fish sauce you use, you might need to use a tad less than the amounts indicated. Taste for yourself ! I personnally use the Tiparos fish sauce, which is a bit on the stronger side.
• I like to use brown sugar for added depth, but feel free to use white sugar.
• Fair warning : this recipe is quite spicy.
  • If you can take a bit of spice, but not much, only use 1 bird’s eye chili.
  • If you cannot take the heat at all, remove its seeds.
• You can add cilantro if you feel like it ; it definitely pairs well with the Nuoc Cham flavours.
• If you don’t own a mortar and pestle, it’s ok ;
  • Simply use a grater for your garlic and thaï chili. After adding the remaining ingredients, let the Nuoc Cham sit 10 to 15 minutes so that the flavours infuse properly.
  • Even if you simply mince your garlic and chili with a knife, this sauce will be much tastier than the restaurant version !

Print Recipe

Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce)

Author: Multicarbs Cuisine: Asian cuisines, Vietnamese cuisine Courses: Condiment Recipe Keys: Sans Gluten Sans maïs Sans œufs

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 10 min Total Time 10 mins

Servings: 2

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year

Description

Sweet, savoury, spicy and tangy sauce, that will take anything you dip in to the next level.

Ingredients

Servings

• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 3 tablespoons warm water
• 3 bird's eye chilies (or less depending on your spice tolerance)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 small pinch of coarse salt

Instructions

1. Pound garlic and chilies with a small pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle.

   Add warm water and sugar and mix until sugar dissolves.

   Add fish sauce, vinegar, lime juice. Mix.

   Et voilà !! You're done !

Note

Nuoc Cham can last up to 1-2 weeks in the fridge when stored in an airtight container.

You can even freeze it up to 3 months if you made too large a batch. 

Keywords: home made, condiment, Nuoc Cham, Dipping sauce, Vietnamese dipping sauce, sour, gourmet, Nem sauce, Bo Bun sauce