Traditional Vietnamese chili garlic fish sauce and fermented anchovy sauce have been included in Taste Atlas's "100 best sauces in the world" ranking, updated on 22/1. This list was compiled from 15,925 reviews by readers and experts, with over 9,700 valid submissions.

Chili garlic fish sauce. Photo: Bui Thuy

Chili garlic fish sauce. Photo: Bui Thuy

Ranking 16th, chili garlic fish sauce scored 4,3 out of 5 points. Taste Atlas describes this condiment as a staple in Vietnamese cuisine. It is prepared with lime juice (or vinegar), sugar, water, and fish sauce, achieving a balanced sweet, sour, and savory taste. Additional ingredients often include minced garlic, chili, shallots, ginger, or fresh herbs.

This dipping sauce features numerous regional variations, with recipes tailored to complement specific dishes. It is commonly served with fried spring rolls (cha gio), Vietnamese savory pancakes (banh xeo), various meat or seafood dishes, and as an accompaniment to vermicelli, noodles, and soups.

Fermented anchovy sauce, ranked 79th with 3,9 points, is crafted from fermented anchovies. It boasts a stronger and more pungent flavor compared to other sauces. Typically, it is enhanced with sugar, chili, garlic, lime juice, and, crucially, minced pineapple. These additions temper its aroma and boost its overall taste, making it an excellent accompaniment for beef dishes, according to Taste Atlas.

Fermented anchovy sauce. Photo: Bui Thuy

Fermented anchovy sauce. Photo: Bui Thuy

Topping the list with 4,7 points is salsa ocopa, a renowned Peruvian sauce from Arequipa. This sauce is crafted from fresh cheese, aji amarillo chili, milk, and huacatay (Peruvian black mint). Traditionally, salsa ocopa accompanies boiled potatoes, pasta, meat dishes, fried cassava, and boiled eggs.

Taste Atlas's culinary rankings are developed from evaluations by its community of users and experts. The platform employs a mechanism to verify genuine users, eliminate locally biased reviews, and give greater weight to assessments from individuals with specialized knowledge.

These rankings are published to celebrate excellent local dishes, foster pride in traditional cuisine, and spark curiosity about unfamiliar foods. However, they are not presented as a definitive global conclusion on culinary matters.

By Tam Anh (according to Taste Atlas)