In much of Asia, the dipping sauce is as important as the dish. A dumpling, a skewer or a fried cutlet arrives with a small bowl, and the combination is what makes the meal. Here are the sauces to know.
The idea behind most Asian dipping sauces is balance. Salty, sweet, sour and spicy are put together in the right proportions, so each bite of the main dish lands differently. Once you understand that, you can adjust any of these sauces to taste.
Chinese dumplings, jiaozi, are usually dipped in a mix of black vinegar and soy, with chilli oil for heat. Homemade chilli oil, with toasted flakes, Sichuan peppercorns and warm spices, is far more fragrant than the bottled kind and keeps for weeks.
Jiaozi
ChinaClassic Chinese dumplings filled with seasoned pork and cabbage, pan-fried or boiled β a dish central to Chinese family gatherings and Lunar New Year celebrations.
Prep: 45 minsCook: 15 minsMedium
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Photo: avlxyz
Chilli Oil
ChinaFragrant Sichuan-style chilli oil with crispy flakes, star anise and sesame. Spoon it over dumplings, noodles and eggs.
Prep: 10 minsCook: 15 minsEasy
View Recipe βIndonesian satay is served with a rich peanut sauce, made from peanuts, coconut milk, chilli, garlic, lime and sweet soy. It is sweet, savoury and a little spicy, and it is good on grilled vegetables as well.
Satay
MalaysiaMalaysian skewered meat β chicken or beef marinated in turmeric and lemongrass, grilled over charcoal and served with peanut sauce, compressed rice and cucumber.
Prep: 30 minsCook: 15 minsEasy
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Photo: grongar
Peanut Sauce
IndonesiaA rich, glossy peanut sauce with chilli, garlic, lime and kecap manis. The classic dip for chicken satay.
Prep: 10 minsCook: 15 minsEasy
View Recipe βVietnamese fresh spring rolls need nuoc cham, the balanced mix of fish sauce, lime, sugar, garlic and chilli. Taste it as you make it: it should be sweet, sour, salty and spicy all at once.
Goi Cuon
VietnamVietnam's delicate fresh spring rolls β rice paper wrapped around prawns, herbs, vermicelli and lettuce, served with peanut dipping sauce. Light, fresh and beautiful.
Prep: 30 minsCook: 10 minsEasy
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Photo: *_*
Nuoc Cham
VietnamVietnam's essential dipping sauce β fish sauce, lime, sugar, garlic and chilli in perfect balance. For spring rolls, grilled meat and noodles.
Prep: 10 minsCook: 0 minsEasy
View Recipe βIn Japan, tonkatsu, the breaded pork cutlet, comes with a thick, fruity brown sauce. It is a Japanese take on Worcestershire sauce, and it also goes on katsudon and okonomiyaki.
Tonkatsu
JapanJapanese pork cutlet β thick pork loin coated in panko breadcrumbs and deep-fried until the crust is shatteringly crispy, served with tonkatsu sauce and shredded cabbage.
Prep: 15 minsCook: 15 minsEasy
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Photo: june29
Tonkatsu Sauce
JapanA thick, fruity-sweet Japanese brown sauce for breaded pork cutlets. Tangy with a savoury Worcestershire depth.
Prep: 5 minsCook: 5 minsEasy
View Recipe βKorean barbecue is eaten wrapped: a lettuce leaf, a piece of grilled meat, rice, garlic and a dab of ssamjang, a savoury paste of doenjang and gochujang. It is salty, spicy and a little sweet.
Bulgogi
South KoreaKorea's beloved fire meat β thinly sliced beef marinated in sweet soy, pear and sesame, grilled until caramelised. One of the world's great marinades.
Prep: 20 minsCook: 10 minsEasy
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Photo: λκ²½λΌμ΄ν
Ssamjang
South KoreaA savoury, spicy Korean dipping paste of doenjang and gochujang. For wrapping in lettuce with grilled meat.
Prep: 10 minsCook: 0 minsEasy
View Recipe βLast, Malaysia's national dish, nasi lemak, is built around sambal, a fiery chilli paste cooked slowly until the oil separates. It is the sauce everything else on the plate is for.
Nasi Lemak
MalaysiaMalaysia's national dish β coconut rice with crispy anchovies, roasted peanuts, cucumber, hard-boiled egg and sambal chilli. Eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Prep: 20 minsCook: 25 minsEasy
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Photo: avlxyz
Sambal
MalaysiaA fiery, aromatic Malaysian chilli paste of red chillies, shallot, garlic and shrimp paste. The heart of nasi lemak.
Prep: 15 minsCook: 25 minsMedium
View Recipe βA few pantry items cover most of these sauces: soy sauce, rice vinegar, fish sauce, sesame oil, chilli, garlic and sugar. Stock them and you can make most of these in a few minutes.
The sauces also work outside their home dishes. Chilli oil is good on eggs, noodles and pizza. Peanut sauce is good with roast vegetables. Nuoc cham dresses a noodle salad. Try them in new places and see which ones stick.