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Nước chấm (Vietnamese:[nɨəkcəm]), or more specificallynước mắm chấm for the fish-sauce version, is a common name for a variety ofVietnamesedippingsauces that are often served ascondiments. It is commonly a sweet, sour, salty, savoury and/or spicy sauce.
Nước mắm pha (mixed fish sauce) is the most well known dipping sauce made fromfish sauce. Its simplest recipe is somelime juice, or occasionally vinegar, one part fish sauce (nước mắm), one part sugar and two parts water. Vegetarians createnước chấm chay (vegetarian dipping sauce) ornướctương (soy sauce) by substitutingMaggi seasoning sauce orsoy sauce for fish sauce (nước mắm).[citation needed]
To this, people will usually add minced uncookedgarlic, chopped or mincedbird's eye chilis, and in some instances,[1] shredded pickled carrot or whiteradish andgreen papaya forbún. Otherwise, when having seafood, such as eels, people also serve some slices of lemongrass.
It is often prepared hot on a stove to dissolve the sugar more quickly, then cooled. The flavor can be varied depending on the individual's preference, but it is generally described as pungent and distinct, sweet yet sour, and sometimes spicy.
People in the north of Vietnam tend to usenước mắm pha, as cooked by using the above recipes, but add broth made from pork loin andpenaeid shrimp (tôm he). In the central section of the country, people like using a less dilute form ofnước mắm pha that has the same proportions of fish sauce, lime, and sugar as the recipe above, but less water, and with fresh chili. Southern Vietnamese people often usepalm sugar andcoconut water as the sweetener.
Nước mắm pha is typically served with: