The Cambodian equivalent of Vietnamese nước chấm (Entry ND-02) — Cambodian fish sauce (tuk trey — literally 'fish water') combined with lime juice, sugar, garlic, and chilli. The Cambodian version is slightly different from the Vietnamese: a larger proportion of garlic, a slightly more pungent fish sauce base, and the addition of roasted peanuts in some versions.
**Cambodian fish sauce:** Tuk trey is made from fermented freshwater fish rather than sea fish — giving it a slightly different, slightly more earthy character than Vietnamese nước mắm or Thai nam pla. The standard produced by Mega Chef and similar brands is acceptable as a substitute outside Cambodia. **The standard ratio:** - Fish sauce: 2 tablespoons. - Lime juice: 2 tablespoons. - Sugar: 1.5 tablespoons. - Water: 2 tablespoons. - Garlic: 2 cloves, minced finely. - Fresh chilli: 1–2, sliced. - Optional: 1 tablespoon ground roasted peanuts. **The Cambodian balance:** Slightly less acidic than Vietnamese nước chấm, slightly more garlic-forward. The peanut addition (when used) provides a textural and flavour element that rounds the sharp fish sauce-lime combination.
Naomi Duguid & Jeffrey Alford, *Hot Sour Salty Sweet: A Culinary Journey Through Southeast Asia* (2000); Naomi Duguid, *Burma: Rivers of Flavor* (2012)