Vietnamese Scallion Sauce

Vietnamese scallion sauce, or mỡ hành, is one of Vietnam's essential condiments—a simple but versatile sauce that appears across countless dishes. Cookbook author and restaurateur Peter Franklin, who runs Ănăn Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City, introduced us to this foundational sauce during a tasting tour of Vietnamese cooking.

The preparation is straightforward: hot oil is poured over freshly chopped scallions, gently wilting the greens while extracting their flavor. Franklin's version incorporates black pepper, fresh ginger, and fish sauce, adding heat and umami depth to the bright scallion base.

This sauce exemplifies the Vietnamese approach to flavoring, where fresh, herb-forward dishes rely on bold sauces for their primary taste. Mỡ hành works as a condiment for grilled meats, mixed with soy sauce as a vegetable dressing, or enhanced with sugar and ginger for spring roll dipping. Its fresh, savory character makes it a natural pairing for virtually any dish.