Vietnamese Fish Dipping Sauce Recipe

A tasty Vietnamese fish dipping sauce recipe that can be used in several dishes as a dipping sauce including chicken as well as in salads.  Other Vietnamese condiments include Maggi seasoning sauce, garlic chili sauce, sweet soybean paste, sweet chili-garlic dipping sauces, and roasted peanut butter.

Fish Sauce Recipe

Most people don’t like making their fish sauce from scratch. The process is simple but you need to be patient which some people are not.

Therefore, most people prefer to buy ready-made fish sauce. If you would want to make the fish sauce at home, here is the recipe.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups anchovy fish

1 cup salt

How to make the fish sauce at home

Place the dried anchovies in a large jar and cover them with water. Let stand for 5 days, then drain, reserving 1/2 cup liquid.

Combine the salt and reserved liquid in a bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the anchovy fish and mix well. Cover with cheesecloth and let stand at room temperature for 3 days.

Remove any scum that forms on the surface. Then, transfer to a sterilized jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

Vietnamese Fish Dipping Sauce Recipe

An easy Vietnamese fish dipping sauce recipe that you can make easily at home. Vietnamese fish sauce is commonly known as “nuoc mam” is an extremely important ingredient in Vietnamese cuisine.

One of Vietnam’s “three essentials” together with rice and soy sauce, nuoc mam can be used both as a dipping sauce and as an essential ingredient in many Vietnamese dishes.

Easy Vietnamese Fish Dipping Sauce

Nuoc mam is the liquid result of fermented fish. Although there are many different ways to make nuoc mam, including the use of shrimp or prawns, salt crusting, and soil crusting, I prefer using anchovies as it provides a more delicate result.

There are many different fish sauces available on the market today. Try experimenting with different brands to find one that you enjoy most! This recipe uses the fish sauce made using the recipe above.

Ingredients

1/2 cup water, hot

1 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce

3 cloves garlic, very finely minced (about 1 tablespoon)

 2 scallions, both green and white parts, very thinly sliced on a diagonal (about 2 tablespoons)

2 red Thai chiles or serrano peppers, stemmed and very thinly sliced on a diagonal (about 2 tablespoons)

How to make Vietnamese fish dipping sauce

In a small bowl, whisk together the water and sugar until the sugar has fully dissolved.

Add the fish sauce and whisk to combine well. Whisk in the garlic and scallions. Transfer to a serving bowl or dipping dish.

Just before serving, stir in the chiles. Serve alongside your favorite dish of crudites, grilled meats, or sticky rice.

Conclusion

This Vietnamese fish dipping sauce is super easy to make. The recipe yields about 1/2 cup of sauce. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Recipe Notes

Before adding the chiles at the end, try tasting your sauce and adjust for sweetness if needed by stirring in more sugar or salt if needed (you can omit altogether if you’re looking for a savory/umami flavor).

Alternatively, if you’d like your sauce spicier, feel free to stir in more chili. This is a simple rule that works for most fish recipes.

I hope you liked this Vietnamese fish dipping sauce. If you did, don’t forget to follow me on Fishbasics Pinterest for more fish recipes.