Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (Nước Mắm)

Ingredients

• 300 mL / 1.3 US cup water
• 100 g / 0.22 lb sugar ((or to taste))
• 30 mL / 0.1 US cup vinegar
• 8 tbsp fish sauce ((or to taste))
• 2 limes
• 6 cloves garlic ((or to taste))
• chili ((optional))

Instructions

1. 1

   Use a mortar and pestle to crush the garlic cloves until they become a fine paste.Note: Doing this will enhance the garlic flavor but will make the sauce appear murky. If you'd prefer a clearer or milder aroma, finely chop the garlic instead.

2. 2

   Melt the sugar in water over a low-medium heat, then mix in the fish sauce before turning off the heat and adding the vinegar and lime juice.

3. 3

   When everything is seasoned to taste, pour in the garlic and chili. Let it infuse with the heat off for 1 minute before transferring the contents to a glass container to cool completely.

4. 4

   Serve with your favorite Vietnamese dish!