Jaew — Isaan Spicy Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1.5 limes
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 1 tbsp chili flakes
• 1 tbsp ground toasted rice
• spring onion, coriander, sliced shallot

Method

• Mix fish sauce and palm sugar until dissolved; squeeze in lime
• Add chili flakes and ground toasted rice; stir to combine
• Add spring onion, coriander and shallot
• Balance sour-sweet-spicy-salty; serve

How to Choose

Choose real fragrant fish sauce · heavy, juicy limes · freshly toasted ground rice · firm fresh shallots.

Chef's Secret

Secret: the toasted rice must be freshly toasted and coarsely ground its aroma and texture are the heart of jaew; palm sugar gives a rounder taste than white sugar; add lime after dissolving the sugar to avoid bitterness.

Fish sauce, lime, toasted rice jaew ingredients at Fresh Market Online.