Cook the Book

Use this fish sauce in salad dressings, like Charles Phan's Green Papaya Salad from Vietnamese Home Cooking, or on top of fish or chicken.

Reprinted with permission from Vietnamese Home Cooking by Charles Phan, copyright 2012. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House. All rights reserved. Available wherever books are sold.

About This Recipe

Yield: makes 1 1/2 cups
Active time: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup fish sauce
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 to 2 Thai chiles, stemmed and minced

Procedures

  1. In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, sugar, vinegar or lemon juice, and 1/2 cup water and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the garlic and chiles and stir to combine. Use immediately, or refrigerate for up to 1 week if made with vinegar or up to 2 days if made with lemon juice.