Where does sugar hide in a Vietnamese meal? Dipping sauce, the braising pot and your bowl of phở

Vietnamese savory food loves a touch of sweet

Vietnamese cooking is all about balance. Salty from fish sauce, sour from lime, heat from chili, and sweet to pull them all together.

A little sugar rounds off saltiness and softens its edges. It also helps grilled meat brown and gives a braise its glossy shine. So sugar turns up in plenty of dishes we'd never call dessert.

How sweet people season also varies by region. Many Southern cooks season on the sweeter side, while many Northern kitchens keep flavors lighter. Neither is right or wrong, it's just what your tongue grew up with.

A small bowl of dipping sauce, not a small amount of sugar

Nước mắm chua ngọt, the everyday sweet and sour dipping sauce, is the "ambassador" of hidden sugar.

Many families mix it with nearly as much sugar as fish sauce, then add lime, garlic, chili and water. One bowl for dipping gỏi cuốn (fresh spring rolls) or bánh xèo (crispy rice crêpes) can hold about 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar. A tablespoon of granulated sugar weighs about 12 to 15g.

The good news: you don't drink the whole bowl. But if you often spoon fish sauce over your rice, or dip generously, the sugar that goes in adds up.

A few other familiar sauces:

These figures are based on the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) food database. Brands differ, so check the nutrition panel on the bottle.

The braising pot: the secret is nước màu

Braised pork and braised fish have a beautiful amber-brown color. That color usually comes from nước màu, sugar cooked down until it turns into caramel.

On top of the caramel, many cooks add more sugar when seasoning, then pour in fresh coconut water. Coconut water has a gentle natural sweetness, far less than canned soda.

As the pot simmers for a long time, the liquid reduces, and the sugar concentrates in the sauce. The pork and eggs soak up that thick, glossy sauce. With hot rice it's impossible to fault, but a spoonful of braising sauce over your rice carries a fair bit of sugar too.

Your bowl of phở or hủ tiếu has sugar as well

Many pots of broth get a little rock sugar for a "sweeter broth", especially when the bones haven't simmered long enough. Vietnamese call this a clean, gentle sweetness.

Then it's your turn. A swirl of hoisin, a swirl of chili sauce, a squeeze of lime. In a few seconds you've added a bit more sugar to the bowl.

A few other places sugar likes to hide:

• Marinades for grilled meat: grilled pork chops and skewers are often marinated with sugar or honey for color.
• Đồ chua (quick pickles): carrot and daikon pickled in sugared vinegar, tucked into bánh mì or served with cơm tấm.
• Restaurant-style stir fries: glossy oyster sauce and sweet and sour sauces usually contain sugar.
• Ready-made sauce packets: braising mixes and marinade packets. Read the label and you'll see it.

Less sweet, and dinner still tastes full-flavored

You don't need to give up familiar dishes. Just a few small changes:

1. Make your dipping sauce one notch less sweet. Cut back a little each time and your tongue will adjust.
2. Dip instead of pour. Keep the sauce in its own bowl rather than drizzling it over the whole plate.
3. Simmer bones longer and use less rock sugar. Sweetness from bones, charred onion and charred ginger already runs deep.
4. Taste before adding sauces. Many bowls of phở are already well seasoned.
5. Color your braise another way. Sear the meat until the edges catch, add fried shallots and garlic, use fresh coconut water.

You'll be surprised that a slightly less sweet meal still tastes great. You might even taste the meat and fish more clearly.

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