Soy-Lime Dipping Sauce

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

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 6-8
• Yields: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1  garlic clove
• 2  Thai chiles
• 2 1⁄2 tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄3 cup soy sauce, preferably Chinese style
• 2 1⁄2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1⁄4 cup water (to taste)

Directions

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