Nuoc Mam Sauce (Vietnamese Cookery)

• Mortar and pestle
• ¾” piece fresh hot chili peppers
• 1 clove garlic
• ½ medium lime
• 1 tbsp. vinegar
• 1 tbsp. water
• 4 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tsp. sugar

Seed the chili pepper. Peel the garlic clove. Crush the pepper and garlic together in a mortar with sugar. Peel and seed the lime and mash the pulp in the mortar with the garlic and pepper.

Add vinegar and water to the pulp mixture and mix well. Add the fish sauce (plain nuoc nam) last.

This sauce can be used as soon as it is mixed, but it can also be kept for 2 to 3 months in the refrigerator. Store in a tightly closed jar.