Hoisin-Peanut Dipping Sauce (Tuong Cham Goi Cuon)

August 2, 2015

Hoisin-Peanut Dipping Sauce © kvalifood.com

The classic Vietnamese peanut dipping sauce most people know from restaurants. It is a southern Vietnamese sauce built on hoisin sauce and peanut butter, sometimes enriched with coconut milk. This is the standard accompaniment to goi cuon (fresh spring rolls) and is also served with nem nuong (grilled pork sausage) and bo bia (Chinese-style spring rolls). It comes together in under 10 minutes, and most Vietnamese households have their own ratio. The sauce should be thick enough to cling to whatever you dip into it, but loose enough to drip off a spoon.

Ingredients

1 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or peanut)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
3 tbsp creamy peanut butter (or crunchy)
120 ml water (or light chicken stock)
2 tbsp coconut milk (optional, for richness)
1 tsp sriracha (or chilli garlic sauce, optional)
crushed roasted peanuts, for garnish

Directions

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant - do not let it brown.
Add the hoisin sauce and peanut butter. Stir until combined, about 30 seconds.
Pour in the water (or stock) and coconut milk if using. Whisk until smooth.
Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce thickens slightly. It will continue to thicken as it cools, so err on the thinner side.
Taste and adjust: add more hoisin for sweetness, more water for a thinner sauce, or sriracha for heat.
Transfer to small dipping bowls and top with crushed peanuts.

Notes

Keeps refrigerated for up to 5 days. It thickens in the fridge - thin with a splash of water when reheating.
The ratio of hoisin to peanut butter is personal preference. Some cooks go heavier on the hoisin (up to a 2:1 ratio), others prefer it nuttier.
Coconut milk adds a subtle richness. Full-fat coconut milk works best - even just a tablespoon rounds out the flavour noticeably.
Some cooks add a squeeze of lime juice at the end for brightness. Not traditional but works well.
Traditional versions sometimes included liver pate for richness and body. When Vietnamese cooks emigrated, peanut butter became the practical substitute.