Nước chấm

Nước chấm is a common name for a variety of Vietnamese "dipping sauces" that are served quite frequently as condiments.

Nước mắm pha

Nước mắm pha (mixed fish sauce) is the most well-known dipping sauce made from fish sauce. Its simplest recipe is one part lime or lemon juice, or occasionally vinegar, one part fish sauce (nước mắm), one part sugar and two parts water.

To this, people will typically add minced garlic, chopped or minced serrano peppers, and in some instances, shredded carrot for bún. Otherwise, when having seafood, such as eels, people also serve some slices of lemongrass.

It is often prepared hot on a stove to dissolve the sugar more quickly, then cooled. The flavor can be varied depending on the individual's preference, but is generally is described as pungent and distinct, sweet yet sour, and sometimes hot.

Varieties by regions

People in the north of Vietnam tend to use nước mắm pha, as cooked by using the above recipe, but add broth made from pork loin and penaeid shrimp (tôm he). In the central section of the country, people like using a thick form of nước mắm pha which has the same proportions of fish sauce, lime and sugar as the recipe above, but less water. Southern Vietnamese people often use coconut water instead of sugar.

Uses

Nước mắm pha is typically served with:

• Cơm tấm, "broken rice"
• Chả giò, also known as Imperial rolls, are sometimes mistaken as either egg rolls or spring roll(s).
• Gỏi cuốn, which are sometimes called shrimp salad rolls or erroneously as "rice paper" or spring rolls (Alternately, gỏi cuốn are served with peanut sauce or tương xào made from tương, a Vietnamese fermented bean paste.)
• Bánh cuốn
• Bánh xèo, a pan-fried crepe made from rice flour and coconut milk, and filled with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts
• Bánh hỏi, very thin vermicelli layered into sheets, and separated by thin layers of mỡ hành (scallions in oil)
• Bún, a basic food made from rice and eaten with vegetables

References

Vietnam—Nuoc Cham recipe (Chili, Garlic, and Fish Sauce). See http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/vietnam/nuoccham.html