Whenever I have been invited for lunch or dinner at Kanary’s home, this sauce has been on the table. Kanary’s mom, aka The Grandma, makes a batch each week, so they never run out, and for a long time, I had wanted to ask her about the recipe. Then suddenly one day, she announced that now, we would be making the sauce. Was my camera ready? Oh yes!
The sauce is packed with flavor and tastes delicious together with chicken or seafood. Kanary’s dad was from Kampot province, and he taught Kanary’s mom how to make the sauce, which is a very common type of condiment in that region.
The sauce is made with MSG, which is a controversial ingredient in the US, but which is very common in Asian cooking. You can leave it out if you prefer. You can find palm sugar in most Asian grocery stores, but if you don’t have access to palm sugar, you can use a little extra white sugar instead.
The Grandma’s Notes:
The sauce is good for about a week.
If you want a milder sauce, you can add a little bit of boiled water, but this will decrease the shelf life of the sauce.
All measurements are approximate. Taste the sauce along the way. If it is too salty, add more sugar and lime.
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Recipe: The Grandma’s Kampot sauce
Recipe by The Grandma – Kanary’s mom
1
small bowlIngredients
6 6 garlic cloves
1 1 hot chili (the Thai chilis which can be found in most grocery stores, are good)
1 tablespoon 1 white sugar
1 teaspoon 1 MSG
2 2 limes
1-2 tablespoons 1-2 fish sauce
1 tablespoon 1 palm sugar
Directions
- Grind the garlic and chili with the sugar and the MSG. All ingredients have to be completely mixed into a smooth paste.
- Remove the seeds and squeeze the limes over the chili-garlic paste
- Wait for 5 minutes. This will lock in the garlic smell.
- Add fish sauce and palm sugar and mix it all together.
- Serve the sauce alongside fried chicken, crispy fried fish, grilled or stir fried beef, or a simple bowl of steamed rice. The salty, tangy flavors pair especially well with rich, savory dishes, and once it’s on the table, it tends to disappear quickly.
If you cook a lot, you probably already know that some things just taste better when they’re made by hand. A good mortar and pestle is one of those kitchen tools that quietly makes a big difference. I use mine for everything from crushing garlic and ginger to making pesto, spice blends, and quick sauces, and once you start using one, it’s hard to go back to electric grinders. The texture is better, the flavors are fuller, and you have complete control over the result.
