Vietnamese · sauce

Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce)

Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce) — from The Splendid Table's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 6:45

Video by The Splendid Table on YouTube · Open on YouTube

10 minMakes 12 × 2 tbsp17 kcal a portion
  • Pescatarian
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Dairy-free
  • Nut-free

Contains: Fish. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

A light, oil-free dipping sauce: 2 tbsp have about 17 kcal and 3 g of added sugar. It is salty (about 650 mg sodium a portion), so dip rather than pour.

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Ingredients 7

Method

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Roll the limes firmly on the bench before juicing, then squeeze them with a reamer so some of the pulp goes in with the juice. 1:11
  2. In a bowl, stir the lime juice, rice vinegar (if using), sugar and lukewarm water until the sugar dissolves. Taste this 'limeade' and adjust the sweet–sour balance first. 2:01
  3. Stir in the fish sauce, starting with 5 tbsp and adding more to taste, until the sauce is a light amber colour. 2:56
  4. Add the sliced chillies (seeds and all) and the garlic. Serve in a shared bowl or small dipping bowls; it keeps about 8 hours covered at room temperature. 4:01

Tip. Makes about 1½ cups (12 portions of 2 tbsp). Start with less fish sauce for a lower-salt sauce. Thin carrot matchsticks soaked in the sauce add crunch. Serve with rice-paper rolls, grilled meats or noodle salads.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One portion (2 tbsp) gives you 1 of 12

Energy17 kcal70 kJ
Protein0.5 g1% of a day
Fibre0.1 g0% of a day
Carbohydrate4.1 g4 g net · 3.4 g sugars1% of a day
Fat0 g0 g saturated0% of a day
Sodium650 mg28% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 89%
  • Protein 11%
  • Fat 0%

For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

No vitamin or mineral reaches 10% of a day in one serve.

Show the other 15
Magnesium4%

15 mg a serve, mostly from fish sauce (95%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Vitamin C3%

2.8 mg a serve, mostly from fresh lime juice (72%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Vitamin B63%

0 mg a serve, mostly from fish sauce (75%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Vitamin B122%

0 µg a serve, mostly from fish sauce (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Potassium1%

40 mg a serve, mostly from fish sauce (66%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Folate1%

5.1 µg a serve, mostly from fish sauce (84%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Calcium0%

5.6 mg a serve, mostly from fish sauce (64%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Iron0%

0.1 mg a serve, mostly from fish sauce (75%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Zinc0%

0 mg a serve, mostly from fish sauce (56%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin A0%

0.4 µg a serve, mostly from thai or serrano chillies (67%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Vitamin D0%

0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Vitamin E0%

0 mg a serve, mostly from thai or serrano chillies (54%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Vitamin K0%

0.1 µg a serve, mostly from thai or serrano chillies (66%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Selenium0%

0.1 µg a serve, mostly from garlic (48%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Omega-30%

0 g a serve, mostly from thai or serrano chillies (78%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by The Splendid Table; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.