Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

The traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce. The red pepper gives colour but can be omitted.

Servings: Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 sweet red pepper, stem removed, chopped
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp Asian chili sauce or to taste
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1/4 cup lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons finely shredded carrots

Method

Combine water and sugar in a pot. Bring to a boil over high heat stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Boil for 2 minutes or until slightly syrupy. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

Place red pepper, garlic and chili sauce with 1/4 cup of sugar syrup in a food processor or blender and purée. Add fish sauce and lime juice. Taste for seasonings, adding more syrup to thin it down if needed. Place carrots in a bowl and add sauce.