Thai-Style Chili, Lime, Garlic and Cilantro Dipping Sauce for Seafood (Nước Chấm Hải Sản Kiểu Thái)

This Thai-style dipping sauce is very similar to the Vietnamese dipping sauce (Nước Mắm Chấm). It contains the five S’s: sweet, spicy, sour, savory, and sexy. The main difference is the use of cilantro.

The cilantro’s bold flavor and aroma pairs perfectly with seafood. I particularly enjoy it with clams, mussels, and other shellfish. I love using the clam as a scoop to throw back the sauce and clam like the shellfish aficionado that I am.

You can also have this sauce with other food that needs a Southeast Asian flair. Think of fried chicken, fried pork ribs, and even fried tofu. The acidity of the sauce complements the fatty fried taste. It’s absolutely delicious!

The sauce literally takes no more than 5 minutes and requires no cooking. Make a batch or two, or three. You can prepare it in advance but leave out the fresh ingredients (garlic and cilantro) until you are ready to serve.

Recipe below. Enjoy!