Mais Light Vietnamese Dipping Sauce Recipes

CLASSIC VIETNAMESE DIPPING SAUCE (NướC CHấM)

Steps:

• Set the carrots aside. Add the remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix it together until the sugar completely dissolves. Add the shredded carrots right before serving. Makes about 1 cup of sauce.

NUOC CHAM (VIETNAMESE DIPPING SAUCE)

Steps:

• Stir the sugar and warm water together in a bowl until the sugar dissolves completely; add the fish sauce, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, Thai chile peppers, and green onion to the mixture.

MAI'S LIGHT VIETNAMESE DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Make shrimp broth: Combine shrimp shells and 2 cups water in small pan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain, and set aside to cool.
• Measure 1 cup shrimp broth, and place in a bowl. Add fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, and chiles; stir well. The sauce will keep, refrigerated in a covered jar, for up to 2 weeks.

VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, garlic, and red pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Set the dipping sauce aside.
• Fill a large bowl with room temperature water. Add rice vermicelli and soak for 1 hour.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in shrimp and cook until curled and pink, about 1 minute. Remove the shrimp and drain. Slice each shrimp in half lengthwise. Transfer rice vermicelli noodles to the pot of boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Remove and drain in a colander. Immediately rinse the vermicelli with cold water, stirring to separate the noodles.
• To assemble the rolls, dip 1 rice wrapper in a large bowl of room temperature water for a few seconds to soften. Place wrapper on a work surface and top with 4 shrimp halves, 1/4 of the chopped lettuce, 1/2 ounce vermicelli, and 1/4 each of the mint, cilantro, and Thai basil. Fold right and left edges of the wrapper over the ends of the filling and roll up the spring roll. Repeat with remaining wrappers and ingredients. Cut each roll in half and serve with dipping sauce.

LEMONGRASS PORK PATTIES WITH VIETNAMESE DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• For the patties:
• In a large bowl, use your hands to mix together all of the ingredients, then form the mixture into twelve 2-inch patties (about 3/4 inch thick). Arrange the patties on a plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until firm.
• Preheat the grill for at least 10 minutes and set it up to grill over moderately high heat. Oil the grates. Grill the patties until brown grill marks form on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip the patties, then grill for 3 to 4 minutes longer, until cooked through but still juicy.
• For the sauce and assembly:
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk the vinegar with the sugar and water. Add the fish sauce, then taste and season with more vinegar or sugar, depending on your taste.
• Arrange the lettuce leaves and herb sprigs on a platter. To serve, wrap the pork patties and herb sprigs in lettuce and dip in the sauc

VIETNAMESE DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut the chilies into thin rings. Remove one-third of the chilies and set aside for garnish. Place the remaining chilies, garlic and sugar in a mortar, and pound into a coarse, wet paste. (If you don't have a mortar, just chop with a knife.) Transfer to a small bowl and add the water, lime juice and fish sauce. Stir well to dissolve. Add the reserved chilies and carrots. Set aside for 10 minutes before serving.
• NOTE: Nuoc cham is very amenable to variations and adaptations. In Vietnam, cooks like to use various vegetables to flavor the sauce, such as thinly sliced marinated daikon and carrots, ginger, scallion oil or peanuts and even slices of kohlrabi and the core of a white cabbage. Each imparts a distinctive savoriness.