Spicy Thai Salad Dressing and Dipping Sauce Recipe
This Thai salad dressing or spicy dipping sauce is bursting with authentic Southeast Asian flavors. It is a versatile, healthy condiment that can be quickly prepared in just 15 minutes using fresh garlic, Thai chilis, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice. Perfect for adding a tangy, spicy kick to salads, grilled meats, or fresh spring rolls.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: About 1/2 cup dressing
- Category: Sauces
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 8 Thai chilis, or to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 ½ tablespoons lime juice
Instructions
- Pound the garlic: In a mortar, use a pestle to thoroughly pound the peeled garlic cloves until they break down and release their flavor.
- Add and pound the chilis: Add the Thai chilis to the mortar and continue pounding them with the pestle to release their heat and aroma.
- Add fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice: Pour in the fish sauce, granulated sugar, and fresh lime juice over the pounded garlic and chilis.
- Mix ingredients: Use a spoon to stir and mix all the ingredients in the mortar until the sugar is completely dissolved, and the dressing is well combined.
Notes
- This dressing is traditionally made to be spicy and sour, but you can adjust the number of chilis for your preferred heat level.
- Taste as you go to balance the saltiness from the fish sauce, sweetness from the sugar, and acidity from the lime juice.
- Perfect for drizzling over Thai salads, grilled dishes, or as a dipping sauce for fresh rolls.
