When my children were young they could not pronouce the Vietnamese name for this dish and so I called it Magic Sauce. It was a good way for me to get the kids to eat plain steamed vegetables - with a sprinkle of this sauce or serve in individual sauce dipping dishes. We put this sauce on almost every Vietnamese savory dish, from rice to noodles to pot stickers to vegetables. This recipe is lighter and less fishy. This makes about 5 cups, more than enough for a family meal. I keep the rest in a jar or bottle in the refrigerator. Keeps for months if you do not add perishable items like garlic, chilies and lime juice. Add garlic, lime juce and chilies only in the portion you're going to use that day. Amount is to taste. When you're ready to use