Mam Nem Pha Thom (Anchovy Dipping Sauce with Pineapple), Made with Monk Fruit Sweetener
Vietnamese dishesSauces and DipsCentral Vietnam15 minutes
Mam nem pha thom gives a pungent bowl where salt and sweetness sit level, right for dipping boiled pork or for a bowl of bun mam nem. Straight mam nem is very sharp, and the pineapple and lime are what soften it.
The most common slip is dropping all the pineapple pulp in at once, which leaves the bowl fibrous and harshly sour. Squeezing the pineapple juice out and adding it later keeps the sauce clean and fragrant. Taste one last time before serving, because saltiness varies a great deal between brands of mam nem.
This batch weighs about 931g, at roughly 47 calories per 100g.
Method
Finely chop 4 garlic cloves, 4 chilies and half a pineapple. Take half of the chopped pineapple and squeeze out the juice. Squeeze 1 lime for 2 tablespoons of juice.
Pour the mam nem into a bowl, add 7 tablespoons kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and 80ml water, and stir until fully dissolved.
Add the remaining chopped pineapple, the minced garlic and chili, 2 tablespoons pineapple juice and 2 tablespoons lime juice, stir well and taste again.
To keep it, transfer to a sealed jar and store in the refrigerator.
Tips
Squeezing the pineapple juice out and adding it later gives a softer, more fragrant bowl than tipping in all the pulp.
kOBE Monk Fruit Blend dissolves more slowly, so stir again after 5 minutes before tasting, otherwise the sauce seems flat.
Every brand of mam nem has its own saltiness, so add water a little at a time until it tastes right.
A ripe golden pineapple gives natural sweetness, while an unripe one turns the sauce sour and sharp.
Adding the garlic and chili last keeps the pieces floating on the surface.
Keep in a sealed jar in the refrigerator and use within 5 to 7 days.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.