This is one of my favorite recipes and it is very simple.
I make an fondue with shrimps and petoncles.
I use seafood to make spring rolls with a little rice vermicelli, coriander, basil, lettuce, shredded carrots, bean sprouts, thin slices of mango and red peppers.
It is dipped in a mixture of Nuoc Mam sauce with a hint of Hoisin + Siracha. A pure delight!
I keep my broth which has just taken on shrimp – petoncles flavors, I put aside the rest of the fresh vegetables, vermicelli and the next day, I take the leftovers and I make you a nice Vietnamese soup.
The basic recipe for nuoc mam is :
1 part fish sauce
5 part water
1 part sugar
1/2-1 part rice vinegar
Mix hot water, vinegar and sugar then add fish sauce.
Some recipes replace rice vinegar with lime or lemon juice.
Personally, I use a bit of both.
I always adjust the recipe to taste. I add a little garlic, chili pepper and a some shredded carrots.
The key to the success of Nuoc Mam sauce is to stimulate all your taste senses:
Sweetness.
Salty (fish sauce)
Acid (vinegar or lemon)
When you mix it with a meat like beef or seafood, it is the umami that completes the festival of the senses.
Recently, I understood the principle of the balance of flavors (salt-sugar-acid-umami) and I succeeded in making excellent Vietnamese soup broths. The broths are usually a meat flavor (umami) with salt but by adding a little bit of sweet and sour ingredients in my soup broths, I was impressed with the result.
And when you add herbal aromas like basil or coriander, it stimulates our sense of smell…
Set a beautiful table and place the fresh ingredients like a rainbow of color for the pleasure of your eyes.
Cooking can become very sensual.
Enjoy your meal!
Martin Pham Dinh 