In a small saucepan, combine vinegar and shallots. Bring to a boil and cook until liquid is almost all reduced. Add coconut cream and bring to a boil. Add bean sauce and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Add chilies and sugar, and cook, stirring, until sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Sprinkle with peanuts and sever.

Makes about 11/4 cups (10 fl oz/300 ml)

Note: This sauce is delicious with grilled meats. It traditionally accompanies such dishes as Fresh spring Rolls and sugarcane Shrimp.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped brown or pink shallots(French shallots)
1/3 cup (fl oz / 90ml) coconut cream or coconut milk
1/3 cup (3fl oz/90ml) bean sauce (bean paste) (tuong) or canned whole salted soybean, mashed
1/2 fresh long red chili, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons peanuts, lightly toasted and chopped
 

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and stir to blend.

Makes 11/4cups (10 fl oz/310 ml

Note: this sauce is best consumed on the day it is made.

Ingredients:

1 cup (8 fl oz/ 250 ml) bottled fish sauce
1-2 fresh small to medium green or red chilies, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup (2fl oz/60 ml) water pinch sugar

 

In a mortar, using a pestle, pound garlic and chilies to a paste. Add all remaining ingredients and stir until dissolved. Alternatively, combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree.

Makes about 31/2 cups (28 fl oz/875 ml)

Notes: This is the most ubiquitous sauce in Vietnam. Use it at the table, season, or sprinkle on anything.

This sauce is best consumed on the day it is made, or the day after.

Ingredients:
8 cloves garlic
4 fresh medium red chilies
1/2 cup (4fl oz /125 g) sugar juice of 4 limes
1 cup (8 fl oz/ 250 ml) fish sauce
2 cups (16 fl oz/ 250 ml ) water
 

In a mortar, using a pestle, pound garlic and chili to a paste. Stir in fish sauce, vinegar, water and sugar, and continue stirring until sugar is dissolved. Alternatively, in a blender or food processor, combine garlic, chili, fish sauce, vinegar, water and sugar, puree. Stir in shredded carrot, papaya and pepper.

Makes about 2 cups (16 lf oz/500 ml)

Note: This sauce s best consumed on the day it is made, or the day after. Sever liberally, as it complements most dishes, especially fried spring rolls. Both sauce and carrot, papaya and pepper.

Hint: If green papaya is unavailable, substitute shredded, peeled daikon (giant white radish) or yam bean. Shredded daikon smells strongly if not used within a few hours.
In Vietnam the carrot and papaya used in this recipe may be carved into flat flower forms, or alternatively cut into thin slices, 1/3 inch (1 cm ) pieces.

Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic
5fl oz/160ml water
0,84fl oz/ 27 ml fish sauce
2 fl oz /60 ml rice vinegar or distilled white vinegar
1,80 fl oz/ 60 gram sugar (to taste)
1 fresh long red chili, seeded
1 carrot, peeled and finely shredded or chopped
1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) peeled and shredded and chopped green papaya
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
 

 
In a small bowl, stir all ingredients together to make a medium-thick sauce. If necessary, add 1 teaspoon water at a time to make it just thin enough to drizzle.

Makes about 2/3 cup (5 fl oz/160ml)

Notes: this sauce is a traditional accompaniment to Cha Ca Fish with Turmeric .Use sparingly.

Southern Vietnam’s ruoc and is northern counterpart, mam to, are both made from fermented shrimp essence, although they differ in thickness. Both are extremely pungent, and may be too powerful for most Western palates. premium Chinese shrimp paste can also be used.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fermented shrimp paste (mam tom /mam ruoc)
1/2 tablespoon rice wine
2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
2 teaspoon sugar pinch finely chopped finely chopped fresh chili