Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

Quick, list the characteristics of a great barbecue sauce. Sweet? Sour? Salty? Spicy? And no stinting on the garlic. But before you unscrew a bottle of Kansas City-style barbecue sauce, you should know that Vietnam’s ubiquitous dipping sauce, nuoc cham, possesses very nearly the same flavor profile, although it’s a lot more subtle and delicate. This dipping sauce is the traditional—and perfect—condiment for Vietnamese grilled beef.