Nuoc Cham

Finely chop the garlic and chili.

Squeeze the lime. Use only fresh lime juice—bottled is a shortcut that just doesn’t cut it here.

Add the sugar to a mixing bowl.

Boil the water and pour it over the sugar. Stir until fully dissolved.

Once the mixture has cooled slightly (about 5–10 minutes), add the garlic, chili, lime juice, fish sauce and rice vinegar.

Let it sit for 5 minutes, then taste for heat. If you want it hotter, let it sit a bit longer.

You can strain out the chili and garlic at this point, but also leave them in for more intense heat and flavor. Seal in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a week.