Fish dipping sauce "Nuoc cham"

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons of sugar
• 3 tablespoons of water
• 1/3 cup Vietnamese fish sauce (Nuong nam)
• 1/2 cup lime or lemon juice
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• 1 (or more) Thai chili pepper or bird's eye pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 shallot, peeled, thinly sliced ​​and washed (optional)

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, combine sugar, water, fish sauce, and lime juice. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the garlic, chili pepper, and shallot. Let sit for 30 minutes before serving.