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Soy-Lime Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Tuong Pha)

Source of Recipe

Mai Pham in Pleasures of the Vietnamese Table recommended by Bruce at eGullet


Recipe Introduction

This is the sauce that is served with the Grilled Five-Spice Chicken. Mai Pham says, "This vegetarian dipping sauce can be made with any soy sauce, including the Japanese-style Kikkoman, although the Vietnamese prefer the lighter-bodied Chinese-style products marketed under the brands Kim Lan, Bo De, and Pearl River Bridge. Like dipping sauces made with fish sauce, you can embellish this with different aromatics such as ginger and cilantro." I couldn't find the bird chilies, so I just sliced up some serrano chilies. This sauce is great drizzled over the chicken and orzo.

List of Ingredients

1 clove garlic
2 fresh Thai bird chilies
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce, preferably Chinese style
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice with pulp
1/4 cup water, or to taste



Recipe

Place the garlic, chilies and sugar in a mortar and pound into a paste. (You can also chop the garlic and chilies by hand.) Transfer to a small bowl and add the soy sauce, lime juice and water. Stir until well blended. This sauce will keep up to 3 weeks if stored in the refrigerator in a tight-lidded jar.

Makes about 1 cup.