In article >, "James Silverton"
<not.jim.silverton.at.comcast.net> says...
> Alfonz wrote on Sun, 06 Nov 2005 21:11:29 GMT:
>
> AM> Darawen Littlestich wrote...
> ??>> hello!
> ??>> I have tried googling BUT, I don't even know the name of
> ??>> this sauce. It's a thick, sweetish, brown sauce, usually
> ??>> topped with chopped peanuts and served with vietnamese
> ??>> spring rolls.
> ??>> >>>>>>clipping<<<<<<<<<<<<
>
> ??>> AM> Yeah, I had that sauce a few weeks ago at a
> ??>> Vietnamese
> AM> restaurant, with spring rolls. I don't know what it's
> AM> called, but I could tell it was peanut-based with a hint of
>
> It's obviously not the sweet peppery sauce made with fish sauce
> and lime juice (nuoc mam) that is often served but in 2001
> Gourmet magazine had a summer roll recipe with a sauce that
> might match. I have not tried it so no guarantees!
>
> For peanut sauce
>
>
>
> 3 tablespoons finely chopped onion
>
> 1 small garlic clove, minced
>
> 3/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
>
> 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
>
> 3 tablespoons water
>
> 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
>
> 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
>
> 1 teaspoon tomato paste
>
> 3/4 teaspoon sugar
>
>
>
> Make sauce: Cook onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes in oil in
> a small heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until pale
> golden, about 4 minutes. Whisk in remaining sauce ingredients.
> Simmer, whisking, 1 minute, then cool.
>
>
Google "Nuoc Leo". Also "Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce" or "Hoisin-
Peanut Sauce". A traditional recipe is explained he

http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/sp...se/peanut.html

They note that most of the sauces found in restaurants are actually like
the one posted by James, or even just peanut butter and hoisin sauce with
water. I have not actally had a version close to the "traditional" sauce
in a restaurant. I did see recipes for a Buddhist (vegan) version that
used "Tuong" (sometimes labelled Vietnamese Soy Sauce) instead of hosin
sauce, and several other "traditional" versions that included ground up
cooked chicken livers and pork, or alternatively tamarind, or even nuoc
mam. Apparently there are as many "traditional" versions of Nuoc Leo as
there are "traditional" versions of Nuoc Cham.

My co-workers explained that Nuoc Leo is more common in South Vietnam
compared to the North. A lot of Vietnamese restaurants I have been at
will offer Peanut Sauce to "round-eyes" unless you ask for Nuoc Cham, or
they already know you. Even then, the Nuoc Cham often has no chiles in
it, but then you just add as much as you like from the condiment bowls at
the side of the table.

Dennis