Skip to main content

Simple Dipping Sauce

Not every meal requires assembling a nuanced tart-sweet-salty-spicy dipping sauce. Sometimes, the food just needs a light dip in something straightforward. This sauce is basically diluted fish sauce emboldened by thin rings of fiery chiles. With only three ingredients, it is important to use high-quality fish sauce and chiles with fragrance and heat.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes about 1/3 cup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons water
1 or 2 Thai or serrano chiles, thinly sliced

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce and water. Taste and adjust the level of saltiness with more fish sauce or water as needed. Add the chiles and set aside for at least 15 minutes for the flavors to develop.

    Step 2

    Put the sauce on the table so that diners can serve themselves, or divide among individual dipping sauce bowls.

into the vietnamese kitchen.jpg
Reprinted with permission from Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors by Andrea Nguyen. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Copyright © 2006.  Photographs by Leigh Beisch. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.
Read More
A warmly spiced Ashkenazi charoset, perfect for your Passover seder—or spooned over yogurt the next morning.
Like lemony risotto and tandoori-style cauliflower.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Like airy lemon chiffon cake and a Cadbury egg–inspired tart.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
This broiled hot honey salmon recipe results in sweet, spicy, glossy fish coated in a homemade hot honey glaze for an easy weeknight dinner or make-ahead lunch.
Grab your Easter basket and hop in—you’ll want to collect each and every one of these fun and easy Easter recipes.
Use this simple vinaigrette to dress a plate of greens, some steamed potatoes, or anything else that strikes your fancy.