Nước Mấm Pha|Fish sauce dip recipe

This is the fourth of four recipes that feature my favorite fish sauce Red Boat.

Nước Mấm Pha|Fish sauce dip

In the Viet restaurants, they shortcut Nước Mấm Pha by using CoCo Rico (a Riqueño coconut soda) if you are lucky and 7-Up/generic equivalent if you are not.  Yeah.  I go very old-school, pre-colonial on this and use coconut palm sugar & fresh young coconut juice instead of water.  Fresh young coconuts can be obtained at most Asian markets.

(Note: unrefined sugars like coconut palm sugar or raw honey will darken dishes unlike the whitewashed dishes we are used to.  Use your tastebuds, not your eyes to determine quality/flavor.)

• 1/2 cup fish sauce
• 2-4 tbs đường thốt nốt | palm sugar or coconut palm sugar (or dried fruit syrup)*
• 1-2 fresh thai bird chiles or homemade garlic chile paste
• 1 lime
• 1-2 minced garlic
• unsweetened juice from a young coconut (Vita Coco is a decent substitute, also water)

Mix together the ingredients to taste. Let sit for 10 minutes for flavors to blend.  Optional to discard the garlic at this point.  Add coconut juice to dilute to desired taste & consistency.

*I've recently watched Dr. Robert Lustig's TED talk where he lists the 56 names of sugar.  While coconut palm sugar was not one of the named and has a lower glycemic index, it still is a refined sugar.

Ăn Ngon Lành|Eat Delectably!