Mam Nem Dipping Sauce (Fermented Anchovy Paste Sauce)

November 28, 2014

Mam Nem Dipping Sauce © kvalifood.com

Mam nem is fermented anchovy paste from central Vietnam’s coast - thicker, stronger and far more pungent than the clear fish sauce (nuoc mam) most people know. The paste comes in bottles and is mixed fresh with crushed pineapple, lime, sugar, garlic, chilli and lemongrass into a dipping sauce. The sweetness and acidity of the pineapple tames the salty and sharp, and the result is a sauce with a depth and intensity that nuoc cham cannot match. Served with bo cuon la lot (beef spring rolls), banh xeo (Vietnamese pancakes), grilled meat and boiled pork.

Ingredients

Yields ca. 4 servings of dipping sauce, ca. 200 ml

60 ml mam nem (fermented anchovy paste, bottled)
100 g fresh pineapple, finely chopped or blended (~2 thin slices)
2 cloves garlic (~10 g), finely chopped
1-2 fresh Thai chillies (red), finely chopped
1 tbsp lemongrass (bottom 7-8 cm only), finely chopped
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice (~1/2 lime)
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Directions

Finely chop the pineapple or blend it briefly with 1-2 tbsp water to a rough puree. Fresh pineapple gives better sweetness and acidity than canned.
Heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat. Fry garlic and lemongrass for 15-20 seconds until fragrant. Be careful not to let them burn.
Add the mam nem, pineapple puree, sugar and lime juice to the pan. Stir well and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat immediately.
Stir the chopped chillies into the hot sauce.
Taste and adjust - more sugar if too salty, more lime juice if too heavy, more mam nem if too mild. The sauce should balance salty, sour, sweet and sharp.
Pour into a small dipping bowl. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Mam nem varies between brands in salt content and intensity. Well-known brands: Mam Nem Di Can, Ba Vi, 584 Nha Trang.
Raw version: Skip the frying and boiling. Just combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Faster and fresher, but less rounded.
Storage: Best made fresh. Keeps in the fridge for 3-5 days.
Do not dilute too much - the sauce should be relatively thick and intense, not thin like nuoc cham.