Vietnamese Fish Sauce (Nước chấm)

In its basic form, this ubiquitous Vietnamese sauce is prepared with a sour base of lime juice, or optionally vinegar, sugar, water, and fish sauce. Common additions include finely sliced chili peppers, garlic, shallots, spring onions, ginger, or fresh herbs.

The sauce comes in many regional varieties, and the final composition may also depend on the type of meal which it accompanies. Nước chấm is usually served as a dipping sauce alongside chả giò (spring rolls), bánh xèo (crispy pancakes), and various meat or seafood dishes, as well as noodles and soups.