Việt Nam's chili garlic fish sauce. — Photo Shuttlestock

HÀ NỘI — Food website TasteAtlas has updated its list of the world's best dipping sauces, and Việt Nam's chili garlic fish sauce made the cut.

In the 34 Best Dipping Sauces in the World ranking, updated on September 15, the sauce scored 4.3 out of 5 to place third.

The ranking drew on 1,800 ratings from readers and food experts, with more than 1,550 verified as valid.

TasteAtlas said the ubiquitous sauce, in its basic form, combines lime juice, or optionally vinegar, sugar, water and fish sauce for a sour base. Common add-ins include finely sliced chili, garlic, shallots, spring onions, ginger and fresh herbs.

The sauce comes in many regional varieties, and the final composition may also depend on the type of meal which it accompanies. It typically goes with chả giò (spring rolls), bánh xèo (crispy pancakes), meat and seafood dishes, noodles and soups.

Việt Nam had a second entry: mắm nêm (fermented fish dipping sauce), ranking 15th with a score of 3.9 out of 5.

TasteAtlas described mắm nêm as a traditional sauce made from fermented anchovies, far more pungent than other fish sauces. Regular fish sauce is strained to extract only the salty liquid, while mắm nêm uses the whole fish.

In dishes, mắm nêm is usually blended with sugar, chili, lime juice, pineapple and garlic, which heighten its aromas and flavours. TasteAtlas recommends pairing it with beef, such as bò nướng vị (Vietnamese lemongrass grilled beef). — VNA/VNS