Vietnam's Favorite Condiment - Nuoc Cham

Sweet, sour, spicy fish sauce dressing that is Vietnam's condiment of choice. For a milder dish, remove the seeds from the chilies and crush the garlic.

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 1⁄2-2⁄3 cup sugar
• 2⁄3 cup fish sauce
• 2⁄3 cup fresh lime juice (lemon juice can be subsituted)
• 2  large garlic cloves (thinly sliced or minced)
• 2  red  Thai red chili peppers, halved lengthwise, seeded (or not)

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, fish sauce and lime or lemon juice until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the garlic and chilies. Let stand for at least 30 minutes before serving. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
2. (Note: if your fish sauce is a little old but not black, use water to take the intensity of the saltiness down to a palatable level. Add 1 Tablespoon of srping water at a time to the recipe, and keep tasting as you adjust.