Making nước mắm chấm is like making sambal in Indonesian cuisine. There are some different measurements on making it for each person. Similar to sambal, this Vietnamese dipping fish sauce is served quite frequently as condiment.
Last June, I made a big batch of nước mắm chấm and based on Wandering Chopstick’s recipe. In that recipe, I used canesugar vinegar which can be used interchangeably with nypa vinegar. For you who are not familiar with these two vinegars, please check my post “Cuka Lahang and Cuka Aren – Canesugar and Nypa Sap Vinegars”
This time, I made another batch of nước mắm chấm based on Andrea Nguyen’s recipe. I decided to follow her recipe since she used lime.
This recipe goes for Delicious Vietnamese #6, hosted by Sijeleng of Javaholic.
Nước Mắm Chấm
– Vietnamese Dipping Fish Sauce –
adapted from Andrea Nguyen
Ingredients:
3 tbsp lime juice by squeezing fresh lime (I used key limes)
2 – 3 tbsp sugar
½ cup water
2 ½ tbsp fish sauce
Optional additions:
1 or 2 bird eyes chilies, thinly sliced
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
Directions:
1. Make limeade. Combine the lime juice, sugar and water, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Taste and as yourself this question: Does this limeade taste good? Adjust the flavors to balance out the sweet and sour.
2. Finish with fish sauce. Add the fish sauce and any of the optional ingredients. Taste again and adjust the flavors to your liking, balancing out the sour, sweet, salty and spicy. Aim for a bold, forward finish — perhaps a little stronger than what you’d normally like. This sauce is likely to be used to add final flavor to foods wrapped in lettuce or herbs, which are not salted and therefore need a little lift to heighten the overall eating experience.
Notes
Advance Preparation – This sauce may be prepared early in the day and left to sit at room temperature.
Variation – Use half lime juice and half canseugar or nypa or Japanese rice vinegar for a less assertive sauce. Some delicately flavored dishes require this.
An Indonesian-born who lived in 
Indonesia Eats is written and photographed by Pepy Nasution; an Indonesian-born 
delicious colourful sauce
Thanks for sharing these great recipes. I have yet to master this sauce so I'm looking forward to trying them.
delicious colourful sauce
Thanks for sharing these great recipes. I have yet to master this sauce so I'm looking forward to trying them.
I already commented on Flickr, but I really love the colors and details in this photo. I use soy sauce way more than fish sauce but still like to have both in my kitchen at all times. Great flavor.
I already commented on Flickr, but I really love the colors and details in this photo. I use soy sauce way more than fish sauce but still like to have both in my kitchen at all times. Great flavor.
@Xiaolu: Indeed the same here. But the different, I use kecap manis more.
@Xiaolu: Indeed the same here. But the different, I use kecap manis more.
Another use for the big bottle of fish sauce I have in the fridge. And we love vietnamese dipping sauce in our favorite restaurant not so much the kind you can buy at the grocers though. Thanks
Another use for the big bottle of fish sauce I have in the fridge. And we love vietnamese dipping sauce in our favorite restaurant not so much the kind you can buy at the grocers though. Thanks