Nuoc Cham (Dipping Sauce)

Vietnamese Dipping Sauce:  Nuoc Cham

I don't think you can truly have a Vietnamese kitchen unless you have this basic dipping sauce, Nuoc Cham.  When I was first dating my husband, whenever we came over to his mom's house, they always offer some Nuoc Mam to eat with whatever food is being served that day.  Recently, I've learned (as did my husband) that Nuoc Mam is fish sauce while Nuoc Cham is the mixed version -- usually with sugar and lime juice.

My roommate ten years ago used to make Nuoc Cham all the time.  He said it's just fish sauce with lime.  Sounded so simple but this secret "recipe" does not work.  There is so much flavor to Nuoc Mam than lime and fish sauce.  So I took it upon myself to learn how to make one.

Allow me to mention that I'm lazy.  The best Nuoc Cham would be made with the use of mortar and pestle to grind all the dry ingredients together.  I, on the other hand, skip all that.  If I make the Nuoc Cham the same day we would eat it, I would put it in a food processor to grind all dry ingredients.
I own a mortar and pestle somewhere but I'm not sure where it is.

Vietnamese Food Recipe:  Nuoc Cham

• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp red chili flakes (or finely chopped red Thai chillies)
• 3 tbsp fish sauce (pick a fish sauce amber in color.  this is a key ingredient.  Use your favorite)
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp  freshly squeezed lime juice

Combine all ingredients and store in a jar. Done.

But if you want to be thorough.  Take the garlic, sugar and chili flakes and grind them using your mortar and pestle.  Add the paste to the fish sauce, water and lime.