If you have tried Bún Chả or Nem Rán (Fried Spring Rolls) in Hanoi, I believe you would recognize the bowl of dipping sauce with an abundance of enticing thinly sliced carrots and kohlrabi (or green papaya).
Absolutely, you can find here the authentic Bún Chả Sauce (Nước Chấm Bún Chả), which also doubles as Fried Spring Roll Sauce (Nước Chấm Nem) here.
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Nước Chấm: Northern vs. Southern Styles
As a girl born and raised in Southern Vietnam, with some time spent studying and exploring Hanoi, I hold a deep affection for Vietnamese street food. I’ve noticed distinct differences in flavor profiles between the two regions, particularly in the preparation of their dipping fish sauce.
In Vietnamese, Nước Chấm translates to dipping sauce. Many people often confuse it with Nước Mắm (fish sauce), so I created a post detailing “Nước Chấm & Nước Mắm’s differences“.
Generally, Southern Nước Chấm leans towards a sweeter taste, while its Northern counterpart offers a tangier, more sour profile.
Another striking difference lies in the pickled side dish served alongside the fish sauce.
In the South, Đồ Chua—a vibrant mix of pickled carrots and daikon—is the go-to option. This tangy accompaniment pairs beautifully with various Southern dishes, including Bún Bò Xào (rice noodle salad with beef), Bánh Xèo (crispy pancakes), and Bánh Mì sandwiches.
In the North, locals prefer using carrots and green papaya (or kohlrabi, cucumber) to prepare Dưa Góp (the pickles) for their nước chấm (no daikon in this sauce !!!).
Related Recipes | More Vietnamese popular dipping sauces
(Mắm Tôm)
(Nước Mắm Gừng)
Ingredients
You only need a few ingredients:
For the pickle: carrots, kohlrabi (or green papaya, cucumber), salt, sugar, and rice vinegar.
For the fish sauce: fish sauce, rice vinegar (or lemon / lime juice), sugar, garlic, chili, and black pepper powder.
Instructions
Pickle (Dưa Góp)
- Thinly slice carrots and kohlrabi (with a ratio of 1 part carrot to 2 parts kohlrabi).
- If you use green papaya, soak the slices in water with some salt to remove the milky sap. Then, rinse and drain them.
- Combine the sliced carrot and kohlrabi with sugar, and then add the salt and rice vinegar (or lemon/lime juice). Mix well. Allow the mixture to sit for at least 15 minutes.
Make the dipping sauce
- Combine fish sauce, rice vinegar / lemon juice, and sugar together. My perfect ratio is: 1 part sugar, 1 part fish sauce, 3/4 part vinegar / lemonjuice, and 5 parts water.
- Add the minced garlic, minced chili, and black pepper powder (adjust to your taste).
- Add the carrots and kohlrabi (without the brine) to the fish sauce.
- Now your Hanoi-style dipping sauce is ready.
Helpful Tips
You can substitute green papaya with kohlrabi or cucumber.
Because the salt content in fish sauce varies between brands and personal taste preferences are also highly subjective, there is no fixed ratio for making nước chấm. You can experiment with the ratio to find your perfect blend using this approach:
- Start by mixing sugar, lemon juice, and water to create a delightful lemonade.
- Then, gradually add fish sauce to taste.
- This method allows you to control the flavor of your dipping sauce more precisely than adding all the ingredients at once.
In Vietnam, people prefer their dipping sauce with floating garlic and chili, as it enhances the visual appeal of the sauce. Here’s my tip: finely mince the garlic and chili, and mix them with a bit of sugar before incorporating them into the fish sauce.
If you’re serving this dipping sauce with Bún Chả, you can warm it up slightly; for other dishes, it can be served at room temperature.
My other articles on Vietnamese cuisine along with some culinary tips for your travels in Vietnam:
Dipping Sauce for Bún Chả & Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls
Equipment
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 2 bowls
Ingredients
- 0.4 pound kohlrabi (200g or 1 bulb)
- 0.2 pound medium-sized carrots (100g)
- 1 tsp salt (for the pickle)
- 2 tbsp sugar (for the pickle)
- 2 tbsp vinegar (for the pickle)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 10 tbsp water
- 1½ tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp sugar
- minced garlic (to your taste)
- minced chili (to your taste)
- black pepper powder (to your taste)
Instructions
- Peel and thinly slice the kohlrabi and carrot.
- Toss the vegetables with salt and sugar, then allow them to rest for 15 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, combine fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, chili, garlic, and black pepper.
- Add the carrot and kohlrabi (without the brine) into the fish sauce bowl. Your dipping sauce is ready.
