Nuoc Cham Recipe

(Garlic, Chili and Fish Sauce)

No meal is considered complete without this sauce which is used as freely as salt and pepper. It is also known as nuoc mam sauce.

Ingredients :

2 Ripe red chilies

1 clove Garlic

1 teaspoon Sugar

1 Lemon

1 tablespoon Vinegar

1 tablespoon Water

4 tablespoons Fish sauce

Method :

Wearing gloves, cut off stalks from chilies, split down the center and remove seeds and center membrane.
Cut into pieces, and pound in mortar and pestle together with peeled clove of garlic.
Add sugar.
Peel lemon, removing all the white pith. Slice and remove seeds.
Add a small piece at a time to the chilies and pound to a pulp.
Stir in the vinegar, water and fish sauce.
Serve in a small bowl and use a small quantities.

Note : A blender may be used instead of mortar and pestle, but this makes a frothy sauce. However, the flavor will still be the same.

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