3-Minutes Thai Spicy Dipping Sauce (for Young Fruits)

Get ready for a burst of yummy flavors and fun textures with this easy 3-minute Thai spicy dipping Sauce (for young fruits). It's the perfect dipping sauce for dipping your fresh and tangy Whether you love green apples, sour green mangoes, or any crunchy fruit, this sauce is the perfect pair.

This is the go-to sauce when I need a quick, last-minute sauce for dipping young crispy fruits. It's the sauce I remember eating with freshly picked young crispy mangoes as a kid. We gathered in a small group to enjoy this snack together. It was spicy, but we couldn't stop because it was addictive.

You can make it less spicy by using fewer chilis, but try this recipe, and you'll see why it's so appealing! 

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this recipe
• What is a Thai spicy dipping sauce?
• Green apples as a substitutes for young mangoes
• Ingredients for Simple Thai Spicy Dipping Sauce
• Helpful Kitchen Notes
• More ways to use Thai spicy dipping sauce
• Fruits to eat with this 3-minute Thai dipping sauce
• Variations
• Substitutes
• Storage
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Related Thai recipes you'll love 
• 3-Minute Thai Chili Dipping Sauce (for Young Fruits)

Why you'll love this recipe

• This Thai dipping sauce is extra easy! It takes 3 minutes to put it together, if even that, once you have the ingredients together. 
• It's a great sauce to use for dipping your young crispy fruits.
• It's delicious! A perfect fusion of sweet and spicy notes that will keep you craving more.
• A versatile sauce that complements and enhances the natural flavors of young fruits.
• Made with simple ingredients that guarantee the best results every time.

What is a Thai spicy dipping sauce?

There are several versions of this sauce in the Thai cuisine. It's often called Nam Pla Wan and used for dipping young crispy mangoes. It's a mix of sweet and spicy that will take your taste buds on a trip to Thailand!

Here is another delicious mango dipping recipe that uses dried shrimp and requires a little cooking time on the stove.

This easy version comes from my childhood and my family's recipe in rural Northeast Thailand.

Green apples as a substitutes for young mangoes

I used green apples in this recipe because I don't have access to young green mangoes often in my area. I planted several fruit tress from my yard with this thoughts of recreating childhood memories with my Thai recipes! (:

Ingredients for Simple Thai Spicy Dipping Sauce

Look at these main ingredients for this simple Thai dipping sauce. You need to chop up the shallot and put everything together, and viola! 

• Sugar. White sugar works best for this recipe. Palm or brown sugar works fine too. To reduce calories and stay healthier, use monk fruit sweetener. 
• Fresh lime juice. For substitutes, use lemon juice, rice, or apple cider vinegar.  White vinegar has more tang, so add extra sugar to balance the sourness. 
• Fish sauce. A must ingredient for the umami signature flavor.  Use three crab brands if possible. It will elevate your sauce with a lighter salt content. Find them at most Asian supermarkets. Soy sauce or tamari sauce will not yield the same umami the sauce needs for that perfect balance of flavors.
• Shallots. Sliced thin but leave about ⅔ inch in length.
• Chilli flakes. Adjust the amount of chili flakes as needed for your spice level. Thai people love this sauce EXTRA spicy, don't hurt yourself, please! (;

How to make Thai spicy mango dipping sauce

Step 1. Cut up the tart apples into thin but wide slices. Cutting them in a flat and thin shape so you can use the slices like a spoon to scoop up the sauce into your mouth. 

Step 2. Chop the shallot into thin slices. 

Step 3. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl, and stir well until the sugar dissolves mostly. Leave some of the sugar crystals for texture when dipping the fruit in. 

Step 4. Use a piece of fruit to taste the flavors. Adjust with sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce until your taste buds are happy. Stir one more time before serving.

Step 5. Dip the apple slices or any of your favorite crispy fruit and scoop up the golden brown sauce to enjoy all the flavor explosions in your mouth! Share this with a friend or family member, and have some ice water ready to cool off your mouth. Enjoy!

Helpful Kitchen Notes

• If you don't have dried chili flakes, use whole dried chilies. Ground it into large flakes in a spice or clean coffee grinder.
• You can adjust the spiciness level as needed with this recipe. Thai people, especially my family, LOVE it at level 15, whereas I'm on moderate heat, so adjust as needed.
• Make two quick bowls if necessary if your group has different spice levels. Add the chili flakes last if that's the case for easy adjustment.
• To keep the tart fruit from turning brown, soak it in salt water. Just add a tablespoon.

More ways to use Thai spicy dipping sauce

• First and foremost, this dipping sauce recipe is made for young crispy mangoes. But use it with any of your favorite fruits. I used young tart apples because we have 2 apple trees. 
• Use this dipping sauce with fresh spring rolls and egg rolls instead of Vietnamese dipping sauce! It will add some heat and tang!
• Make this your main dipping sauce for your grilled meat or vegetables.
• Eat it with plain rice! It's especially delicious with Jasmine rice and steamed sticky rice. Simple but full of full flavors!
• Add it to your salad dressing. It will spice things up a bit for any old boring salads! (: 
• This sauce perfectly complements a wide range of finger foods and appetizers, making it an excellent choice for serving with a platter of fresh fruit slices or crunchy vegetables.

Fruits to eat with this 3-minute Thai dipping sauce

Use any young tart and crispy fruits you have. We had these green apples in our yard and they are the perfect fruit for this sauce.

• Crispy young mangoes
• Guava
• Young or mature green apples
• Young tart plums, peaches, or pears are excellent with this sauce!

Variations

• For more heat, add thinly chopped fresh chili.
• If you prefer a milder heat level, reduce the amount of Thai chili sauce and red pepper flakes.

Substitutes

• Here is another delicious Mango dipping sauce, Nam Pla Wan, for dipping sour fruits. This recipe uses baby shrimp and requires some cooking time on the stove. This simple recipe is for those moments when you want a super quick dip for your crunchy fruit. This recipe doesn't require visiting the Asian markets for dried shrimp.

Storage

• Thai dipping sauce keeps well at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Cover it with a tight lid. 
• Store any remaining simple Thai spicy dipping sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Before use, give it a gentle stir to recombine the flavors.
• Add fresh shallot slices into the leftover sauce to wake it up with fresh ingredients. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Thai recipes you'll love 

• Thai sweet chili sauce
• Nam Jim Jaew recipe, a spicy tamarind dipping sauce 
• Khao Khua, toasted rice powder
• How to make tamarind paste from tamarind pulp
• Thai tamarind dipping sauce
• Thai green seafood sauce
• Prik Nam Pla

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