Nước Chấm and Peanut Sauce

Directions

  1. 1Dissolve the sugar in the warm water, then stir in the fish sauce, lime juice and rice vinegar.
  2. 2Add the garlic, bird’s eye chili and sambal to the fish sauce mixture.
  3. 3Whisk the hot water gradually into the peanut butter until smooth, then whisk in the remaining peanut sauce ingredients.
  4. 4Add more hot water a tablespoon at a time to the peanut sauce until it reaches a smooth, glossy consistency that is loose enough to coat a roll.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 3 tbsp Squid Brand fish sauce
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 2-3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp sambal oelek (optional)
  • 1-2 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 whole bird’s eye chili, finely sliced
  • 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/3 cup hot water
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp sambal oelek
  • 1 small clove garlic, grated

Tips

  • For nước chấm, you can start with 1/4 cup sugar and adjust to taste.
  • This is a concentrated nước chấm recipe for rice wraps; for vermicelli bowls, dilute with an additional 2-4 tbsp of water.
  • Sambal oelek in the nước chấm provides chili and garlic in one ingredient, but adding fresh garlic and chili is recommended for a fresh bite.
  • For the peanut sauce, add more hot water one tablespoon at a time until the texture is loose enough to coat your roll without being gloopy.