Kitchen Tip: Caramel Sauce (Nuoc Mau)

~This is one of those little secrets to Vietnamese cooking. Used in a variety of marinades, it lends a subtle sweet, smoky flavor to the finished dish.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

2 cups water

Directions:

In a small sauce pot, set heat on medium and melt sugar slowly. Add water and swirl to ensure that sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Once liquid begins to color golden caramel hue, remove from heat.