Thai Dried Chili–Vinegar Dipping Sauce Recipe

With plenty of heat and a vinegar kick, this Thai-inspired dipping sauce is a perfect match for rich and fatty meat dishes as well as seafood.

By
Sasha Marx
Sasha Marx
Senior Culinary Editor
Sasha is a senior culinary editor at Serious Eats. He has over a decade of professional cooking experience, having worked his way up through a number of highly regarded and award-winning restaurant kitchens, followed by years spent in test kitchens for food publications.
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Published May. 22, 2019
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Photograph: Vicky Wasik

Why This Recipe Works

  • Using white distilled vinegar instead of fresh lime juice extends the shelf life of the sauce, which allows you to make it in advance.
  • Thai toasted-rice powder thickens the sauce and while also providing toasted, nutty flavor to balance the heat of dried chilies, and the punch of fish sauce and vinegar.

This Thai-inspired dried chili—vinegar dipping sauce is a close relative of Thai jaew. But instead of using fresh lime juice, which begins to deteriorate in quality and flavor the longer it sits, this sauce gets its acidic bite from distilled white vinegar, which gives it a much longer shelf life. This allows you to make the sauce ahead of time, and also means you can hold onto any that's left over. Fish sauce provides salinity and umami, ground dried chilies bring the heat, and toasted-rice powder lends nuttiness while also thickening the sauce.

Recipe Details

Thai Dried Chili–Vinegar Dipping Sauce Recipe

Active 5 mins
Total 5 mins
Serves 16 servings
Makes 2 cups

With plenty of heat and a vinegar kick, this Thai-inspired dipping sauce is a perfect match for rich and fatty meat dishes as well as seafood.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) Asian fish sauce

  • 2 tablespoons (30g) sugar

  • 4 medium garlic cloves (20g), minced and pressed into a paste (see note)

  • 16 dried Thai chiles, ground fine (4 teaspoons; 4g)

  • 1 1/2 cups (355ml) distilled white vinegar

  • 2 tablespoons (30g) Thai toasted-rice powder, homemade or store-bought

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine fish sauce and sugar and whisk to dissolve sugar. Add garlic and ground chilies, and whisk to combine. Add vinegar and whisk to combine.

  2. When you are ready to serve, add toasted-rice powder and stir to combine. Serve.

Notes

Garlic can be turned into a paste using a mortar and pestle or with a knife.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Dipping sauce can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week. Bring to room temperature and stir well to redistribute toasted-rice powder before serving.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
20 Calories
0g Fat
3g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving
Calories 20
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 718mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 8mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 37mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)