They like to serve this tangy sauce, based on the classic Vietnamese table sauce nuoc
mam cham, with a rich, crisply fried appetizer called Firecracker Shrimp — but they thicken it slightly for dipping.
1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon granulated sugar 4 teaspoons Vietnamese fish sauce (Nuoc
Mam) 12 large basil leaves 1 whole snapper, about 2 pounds, cleaned, head and tail left on 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon grated ginger 1 serrano or jalapeño chile, seeded and minced 2 tablespoons lime juice (1 lime) Vietnamese dipping sauce (Nuoc
Cham), recipe follows