A Trio of Vietnamese Dipping Sauces with California Citrus
Grapefruit, Ginger, Fresno Chile Dipping Sauce
Key Lime Jalapeño Dipping Sauce
Tangelo Nuoc Cham
Get your taste buds ready for a wild ride! I’ve spiked traditional invigorating Vietnamese sauces with fresh citrus from my winter garden: grapefruit, key lime, and tangelo. Now those bracing Viet dipping sauces have a sunny California twist.
Try them to perk up grilled chicken or seafood; lift flavors in soups; brighten noodles or rice; add zip as a dressing for salads; to make a vibrant dip for spring rolls; add a tangy heat when paired with beef or pork. All three are magically refreshing, each with a unique combination of sweet, fruity, salty, sour, and spicy flavors.
Vietnamese Dipping Sauces
Grapefruit, Ginger, Fresno Chile Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 c. ruby red grapefruit juice
- 2 T. lime juice
- 2 T. fresh ginger, minced
- 2 T. sugar
- 2 T. fish sauce
- 1 T. red fresno chile, finely chopped
Key Lime Jalapeño Dipping Sauce
- 1/4 c. key lime juice
- 2 T. rice vinegar
- zest from 2 Persian limes (use juice in other sauces)
- 2 T. sugar
- 2 T. grapeseed oil
- kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
- jalapeno chile, sliced thin
Tangelo Nuoc Cham with Carrot
- 1/4 c. tangelo juice
- 2 T. lime juice
- 1/4 c. water
- 2 T. sugar
- 3 T. fish sauce
- 3 T. grated carrot
- 1 t. garlic, minced
- 1 T. sambal oelek
Nuoc cham is pronounced “nook chum” and translates to “dipping sauce.”
Simply mix all ingredients together to make the dipping sauces. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Taste for harmony of sweet, fruity, salty, sour, and spicy flavors. Adjust to your taste by adding more juice, sugar, fish sauce, chiles, water or rice vinegar. Let the sauces sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to meld the flavors before serving.
This post was inspired by Andrea Nguyen writing in Food & Wine Magazine and by my Citrus Salad Tree, heavy with fruits.