Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce)

Nuoc cham is Vietnam's all-purpose dipping sauce, balancing fish sauce, lime or vinegar, sugar, garlic and chili into a single sauce that's sweet, sour, salty and spicy all at once. It's served alongside spring rolls, grilled meats and seafood, vermicelli noodle bowls and rice dishes, and every household has its own preferred ratio of ingredients.

Ingredients

Nuoc cham is typically made from fish sauce, lime juice or vinegar, sugar, water, garlic and chili, sometimes with grated carrot for sweetness and crunch.

Nutritional Facts

Nuoc cham is a light, fish-sauce-based dipping sauce. Per tablespoon, it contains approximately 15 to 20 calories, no fat and 3 to 4 grams of carbohydrates, with around 1 gram of protein. Sodium is moderate to high, typically 400 to 500 milligrams per tablespoon.