Is there a more versatile seasoning?

We have a preference for the Vietnamese brands - but high kicking Thai ones are great too (Squid brand! - we just realised that the 'glass' bits at the bottom are actually salt crystals :o )

MrLapLap has fallen in love with it and in the last month has more or less replaced all the stock varieties he used to use with the sauce.
In small quantities the sauce is undetectable when cooked (though a rather strong smell will rise out of the pan when you first pour it in) but the depth of flavour and the added umami levels in your meal shoots way up!

He's made some amazing (non-Asian) stews with it and combines it successfully with Quorn (a very good fungus based meat substitute) - but he's keen to make shepherd's pie with this ingredient (he hasn't yet as I don't eat any meat apart from fish).

He pretty much adds it to everything now - it works as an alternative to salt without necessarily leaving a fishy taste. Tomato based pasta dishes, Chicken-less Oyako Don (which he calls Otomo Don) and even potato, onion & jerusalem artichokes fried in olive oil.

He's been all fired up recently after realising that it combines beautifully with Ponzu - another beloved and extremely useful condiment.

Add some Cholula sauce in the mix and the taste levels go ballistic. That potato onion and J.artichoke fry up reached heavenly heights with Ponzu and Cholula making up a near holy trinity with the almighty fish sauce.

Mexico! - Vietnam! - Japan! We salute you. You've worked bloody hard to make our meals delicious!

(MrLapLap is currently working on a way to make Ponzu without MSG - which is basically artificial umami)

whenever i think about fish sauce, i think about pledging my fraternity.....ack!!! :(

Fish sauce is quite the flavor enhancer. Along with soy sauce and wochestershire sauce, it adds a certain depth.

I love fish sauce.

Talking some of my western friends to try it after they figure out how its made that's the tough part.

We had a neighbor in Vancouver who made the stuff in his backyard. Man he was hated.

Of course the very best comes from the island of Phú Quốc Vietnam. The island's 90 family owned factories produces 10 million liters of fish sauce per year. In fact, "Nuoc Mam Phu Quoc" (Phu Quoc fish sauce), is the most sought after in the world and is often imitated. In order to hold the Phu Quoc name it must come from the island and be made exclusively from the long-jawed anchovy.
Illicit production comes from neighbouring countries, which has led to Vietnam now enforcing an appellation d'origine controlee status. Vietnam Air embargoes all fish sauce off the island.

Of course the very best comes from the island of Phú Qu?c Vietnam. The island's 90 family owned factories produces 10 million liters of fish sauce per year. In fact, "Nuoc Mam Phu Quoc" (Phu Quoc fish sauce), is the most sought after in the world and is often imitated. In order to hold the Phu Quoc name it must come from the island and be made exclusively from the long-jawed anchovy.
Illicit production comes from neighbouring countries, which has led to Vietnam now enforcing an appellation d'origine controlee status. Vietnam Air embargoes all fish sauce off the island.

Thank you! That was very interesting.

I've got proof in front of me that the Thais do sometimes immitate it.

Madame Wong's 'Tan Huong' followed by 'NUOC MAM NHI - PHU QUOC' sauce de poisson - Vietnamese Fish Sauce

Further exploration of the bottle reveals that it is manufactured by Runroj Fish Sauce Co, Paknum Muang Rayong 21000 - product of Thailand.
(My mum picked some up for me as she works near an area with lots of Vietnamese shops... I didn't ask her to scrutinise the label. Still, it's been very good for cooking with, but not nearly as delicate and refined as real Phu Quoc sauce)

Any suggestions on summer dishes with Phu Quoc fish sauce?

I'm still muddling through and getting to grips with the ingredient, I like to combine it with lime juice, a little palm sugar, chilli, garlic and toss it with cold rice noodles, fresh mint and scallions (to my deep shame I just can't get myself to enjoy the taste of fresh cilantro/coriander leaves, I try and try, but it's like putting slithers of soap in my mouth)


- for anyone who's experimenting or yet to try this ingredient, do please realise that there are huge differences in the pungency and harshness depending on the brand and area of origin. If you're interested in trying it out 'raw' go for the Vietnamese Phu Quoc varieties mentioned by westcoastman which can taste milder and more sophisticated than most of the Thai versions.

If you're not aware already, fish sauce is the 'secret' ingredient in Worcestershire sauce that makes it make everything taste so yummy - so you might already be using fish sauce regularly in your cooking.

We had a neighbor in Vancouver who made the stuff in his backyard. Man he was hated.

:eek: :eek: :eek:

I'll bet!

Search Food TV dot com for Tyler Florence's Tom Yum Gum soup recipe, it's excellent, and based in part on fish sauce.

We always have some in the cabinet

Any suggestions on summer dishes with Phu Quoc fish sauce?


Use your mixture (add a touch of freshly grated ginger) and toss with some thinly sliced Napa cabbage, fresh herbs of your choice, and shredded steamed chicken. Everything should be chilled, and it should be served chilled.

Unfortunately fermented fish sauce does a wicked number on my digestive tract. I love Thai food but have to be careful what I order.

I have a bottle of garum (recipe based on a fish sauce used by the Romans) that I haven't opened after having bought it 3 years ago.

I love adding fish sauce to the fried rice recepie. ^

with Quorn (a very good fungus based meat substitute)

This seems to be an oxymoron, but I know what you mean.

fungus!

fish!

ack.

I love fish sauce too, but only put it in tom ka gai or tom yum and pad thai.


lala