Sweet and Tangy Thai Dipping Sauce
10 min
|
easy
|
lactose-free,
low-fat
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Think Thai cousin of Vietnamese nuoc cham: lime, fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and chili delivering salty-sour-sweet heat with real umami and a bright snap.
Perfect as a dunk for spring rolls and dumplings or over grilled chicken, shrimp, and rice bowls, it comes together in 5 minutes and you can dial the chili and cilantro to taste.
Ingredients (6 servings)
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Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp Thai fish sauce (or Vietnamese) Thai fish sauce 1.5 fl oz
- 3 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice limes 1.5 ct (for freshly squeezed lime juice)
- 2 Tbsp water water
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar brown sugar 0.86 oz
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar rice vinegar 0.5 fl oz
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced garlic 0.09 head (for garlic clove)
- 1 small Thai red chili pepper, finely chopped Thai red chili peppers 0.1 oz small
- 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (optional) fresh cilantro leaves 0.06 oz
How to Make Sweet and Tangy Thai Dipping Sauce
-
Dissolve the sugar
Stir the brown sugar with the water in a small bowl until fully dissolved so the sauce stays silky, not gritty.
-
Build the salty-sour base
Whisk in the fish sauce, fresh lime juice, and rice vinegar until the liquid looks glossy and unified.
-
Add garlic and heat
Stir in the finely minced garlic and the chopped Thai red chili, or use red pepper flakes if that is what you have.
-
Rest and balance
Let the sauce sit 10 minutes so the garlic softens and the chili blooms, then taste and adjust with a pinch more sugar for sweetness, lime for brightness, or fish sauce for savory punch.
-
Finish and serve
Fold in the chopped cilantro right before serving, and serve at room temperature with grilled meats, spring rolls, or crispy veggies.
Substitutions
- Thai red chili -> red pepper flakes
- Use 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes to keep a clean red heat and steady warmth that disperses evenly through the sauce.
- Fish sauce -> light soy sauce + seaweed
- Swap fish sauce for light soy sauce and steep a small piece of crushed nori or a pinch of kelp granules in the sauce for 5 minutes to mimic ocean savoriness while staying pescatarian-friendly or vegan if you skip fish sauce entirely.
- Brown sugar -> palm sugar or coconut sugar
- Melted palm sugar or coconut sugar gives rounder caramel notes and a slightly thicker body, which reads luxurious without turning cloying.
Tips
- Pound first for deeper flavor
- Use a mortar and pestle to bruise the chili and garlic with the sugar and a pinch of salt, then whisk in the liquids for a fuller, aromatic release.
- Mind your fish sauce brand
- Different brands swing in salinity, so start with 2 tablespoons, taste, then nudge up to 3 tablespoons to land that savory snap without going briny.
- Heat control like a pro
- Remove chili seeds and membranes for a gentler burn, or bloom red pepper flakes in a teaspoon of hot water before adding to open up their flavor without harshness.
- Let it sit, then decide
- The sauce shifts after 10 to 15 minutes as garlic mellows and peppers bloom, so adjust after the rest, not before.
- Glass jar, always
- Store in a glass jar with a tight lid to avoid plastic absorbing fish sauce aroma and to keep flavors clean.
- Zippy citrus math
- One juicy lime yields about 2 tablespoons, so keep an extra on deck in case your limes are shy and the sauce needs more lift.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 40 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 1 | g |
| Total Fat | 0 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 10 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My sauce is too salty, how do I fix it without watering it down?
- Add another squeeze of lime and a teaspoon of sugar, then a teaspoon of water only if needed to relax the salinity while keeping flavor intensity.
- It tastes too sour, what now?
- Balance with another teaspoon of sugar and a small splash of fish sauce, then retaste after a minute since the sweetness takes a beat to show up.
- Can I make it mild without losing character?
- Yes, seed the chili or use 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and let the sauce rest so the heat integrates instead of shouting.
- My sugar is not dissolving and the sauce feels gritty, any fix?
- Warm the water slightly before stirring or microwave the mixture for 10 to 15 seconds, then whisk until the grains vanish.
- No limes on hand, what is the best backup?
- Use fresh lemon juice plus a teaspoon of orange juice for the citrus high notes, then adjust fish sauce to keep the savory-sweet balance.
- How long does this keep and can I cook with it?
- Refrigerate up to 1 week in a sealed glass jar and stir before using, and if you cook with it keep the heat moderate because the sugar can scorch on a hot pan or grill.
Serving Suggestions
This sauce loves grilled shrimp, sticky chicken wings, and crispy tofu, and it sings with a handful of chopped roasted peanuts or a whisper of grated ginger for extra pop.
If you want smoky depth, whisk in a pinch of toasted rice powder or a few drops of chili oil, then park it beside crunchy veggies and let everyone dunk like they mean it.
More pairings:
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