Ginger, Garlic, & Fish Sauce for Dipping and Dunking

Ingredients

1 cup (200 g) sugar

¼ cup (60 ml) water

⅓ cup (80 ml) fish sauce (I like Red Boat brand)

¼ cup lightly packed (40 g) fresh ginger, peeled and finely minced

3 tablespoons minced garlic

1 ounce (30 g) fresh hot chiles, such as serrano or jalapeño, seeded and finely minced

1¼ cups (300 ml) fresh lime juice

Directions

Put the sugar and water in a heavy- bottomed medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring just enough to get the sugar fully moistened. Let the mixture boil, without stirring but with an occasional swirl of the pan, until it is a light amber, 6 to 7 minutes. The syrup will be super hot at this point, so please be careful.

Remove the pan from the heat and let the syrup cool for about 1 minute, then whisk in the fish sauce, ginger, garlic, and chiles. The sugar might stiffen up, but don't worry, it will dissolve again once you add the lime juice.

Let the mixture cool completely and then whisk in the lime juice. Taste and adjust with more fish sauce (for saltiness) or lime juice. The sauce should be quite intense. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, giving it a good shake before using.

Notes

If you're new to fish sauce, this is a good way to get to know its incredible depth of savory flavor. You'll find various brands, from various countries in Asia, including Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. My favorite brand is Red Boat, which is made in Vietnam by a company founded by an ex-Apple engineer who missed the purity of the fish sauce he remembered from his childhood in Saigon. Caramelizing the sugar is a technique that's used in Vietnamese cuisine (among others). I like this method because it adds sweetness, but with an edge.

MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS (480 ML)