Our food editors were evenly divided concerning which dipping sauce they preferred with the duck salad. Some liked the nuoc cham because of the depth of flavor imparted by the fish sauce; others leaned toward the sweetness and heat of the chile sauce. Make one or both, depending on your taste.
Cooks' note:
·Sauce can be chilled up to 3 days.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 1/2 hours
Yield
Makes about 3/4 cup
Ingredients
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek (chile garlic sauce) or 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
Preparation
Bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in rice vinegar, salt, and sambal oelek. Cool sauce, then chill, covered, at least 1 hour.
