While nước chấm holds the spotlight abroad, Vietnam’s true table staple is often overlooked. Muối tiêu chanh – a humble mix of freshly ground pepper, good salt and a squeeze of lime – is found at every barbecue and seafood feast across the country. Sharp, salty and citrusy, it cuts through the richness of grilled prawns or smoky meats with effortless balance. Deceptively simple yet endlessly craved, it’s Vietnam’s quiet hero of the dipping world.
Ingredients
- 1kg U/10 king prawns
Marinate
- 2–3 chillies, minced
- 1–2 sticks lemongrass, minced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 40ml oyster sauce
- 60ml vegetable oil
- 20ml sesame oil
Muối tiêu chanh
- Black or white pepper, finely ground
- Sea salt, finely ground
- Lime wedges (see notes)
Method
Peel the prawns, keeping the head and tail shells intact. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade, add the prawns and toss to coat. Marinate for up to 24 hours. Thread the prawns tail to head onto skewers. Grill over high heat for about 1 minute per side, until lightly charred.
For the dipping sauce, grind pepper and salt together in equal parts. The key to this condiment is that it must be mixed fresh to order. Serve the ingredients separately so diners can make their own – ‘a little table-side theatre’ that lets each person adjust the balance of salty and sharp to taste.
Kitchen notes
In Vietnam, the limes used for muối tiêu chanh are closer in flavour to Southeast Asia’s calamansi (kasturi) limes – small, tart and fragrant. While these aren’t often available from Australian produce suppliers, green kumquats make an excellent substitute, giving a similarly bright, sharp citrus kick. Tahitian limes will also work just fine – as will a tangerine!
As seen in spring 2025
