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5-Ingredient Thai Lemongrass Dipping Sauce

Capture the vibrant zest and alluring excitement of Thai flavors in this easy homemade sauce. Use it as a versatile dipping sauce or marinade for a variety of foods!
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: Cambodian, Thai
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 tbsp spicy lemongrass paste (Read blog post for alternatives.)
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • juice of ½ lime
  • 2 tbsp water dilute to taste

Equipment

  • mixing bowl(s)

Method
 

  1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  2. Dilute with 2 tbsp water or more, tasting in between, to reach your desired strength of salty/sour flavor.

Notes

Note 1. This recipe yields approx. ½ cup of sauce, which can be used as a dipping sauce for 2-3 people or as a marinade for about 1 lb of protein.
Note 2. If you cannot find the spicy lemongrass paste, here are the best alternatives:
    1. Substitute Spicy Lemongrass Paste with Thai Red Curry Paste
Thai red curry paste is similar to spicy lemongrass paste but with more complexity in ingredients. We recommend you use this ingredient sparingly because it can get really spicy very quickly!
    1. Substitute Spicy Lemongrass Paste with fresh lemongrass and fresh aromatics
If you’re in America, fresh lemongrass or plain lemongrass paste is easy to find in typical grocery store. Gather the other suggested ingredients, such as galangal, chilies, shallots, and garlic. For the chili component, look for Thai chili, cayenne, or serrano pepper. Combine these components in a food processor and pulse until a smooth paste forms.