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Ginger Dipping Sauce (Nước Mắm Gừng)

Many people enjoy chicken pho with a side of this zippy sauce. They dip the flesh into the sauce as they eat the soup. The fresh ginger bite adds a last-minute layer of flavor that some find to be scintillating while others find to be distracting. Try it out and judge for yourself.

Recipe information

  • Total Time

    20 minutes

  • Yield

    Makes 2/3 cup (150 ml) 

Ingredients

Rounded 2 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped ginger
6 tablespoons (90 ml) fresh lime juice
2 to 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons finely chopped seeded Fresno or jalapeño chile

Preparation

  1. In a small bowl, stir together the ginger, lime juice, and sugar to dissolve the sugar. Taste to make sure it’s agreeable on a spicy-tart-sweet level. Adjust as needed. Add the fish sauce and chile and set aside for 15 minutes to meld and develop flavors. The sauce may be refrigerated for a few days. Serve in the bowl or use as a salad dressing.

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From The Pho Cookbook: Easy to Adventurous Recipes for Vietnam's Favorite Soup and Noodles © 2017 by Andrea Nguyen. Reprinted with permission from Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon.
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