Nuoc Cham

Ingredients

• 60 ml fish sauce
• 60 ml lime juice
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 120 ml warm water
• 2 pieces garlic cloves
• 2 pieces birds eye chillies
• 1 pieces carrot, finely julienned

Steps

1. 1
   Dissolve the sugar in the warm water completely before adding anything else.
2. 2
   Mince the garlic and chilli very finely, or pound them in a mortar.
3. 3
   Stir the fish sauce and lime juice into the sugar water.
4. 4
   Add the garlic and chilli last. Added to a sugar solution rather than neat fish sauce, they float attractively instead of sinking.
5. 5
   Taste and adjust — the standard ratio is 1 part fish sauce, 1 part lime, 1 part sugar and 2 parts water, but limes vary.
6. 6
   Add the julienned carrot and let it sit 15 minutes to soften slightly.
7. 7
   Serve at room temperature with spring rolls, grilled meat or rice noodles.