Fish Sauce - Introduction


Bottled Fish Sauces

"Fish Sauce" is called for in many recipes on this site, from all over Southeast Asian and a few from China and the Roman Empire. This page is a quick introduction for persons unsure what the product is. It is completely impossible to reproduce the true flavor of ethnic cuisines that use fish sauce without using fish sauce. "Fish sauce is God stuff" - actual quote from a West Virginia man introduced to fish sauce by a college roommate.

It is interesting to note that a concentrated fish sauce is used by some Italian chefs, but it is unknown if it has any continuity with that used during the Roman Empire. Production of fish sauce in Spain ceased sometime during the Muslim occupation.

The Fish Sauce we are dealing with here is a perfectly clear dark amber liquid with no sediment or cloudiness. It has a distinct aroma of fish but this aroma is generally not noticeable after incorporation into a recipe.

Vegetarians:   You will find many Southeast Asian recipes that are entirely vegetarian except for fish sauce. If you reject all seafood products, the closest you can get with pre-prepared ingredients is Thai Yellow Bean Sauce. Bottled "vegetarian fish sauces" are sometimes available in markets serving a Vietnamese (but not Thai) community, but they are pretty awful. We have developed recipes for both clear and murky Vegetarian Fish Sauce which will give better results than the usual "light soy sauce" or "plain salt and water" so often recommended.

For much more on the many kinds of fish sauces made, see our main Fish Sauce page.


Buying:

  Fish sauce will be found in all markets that serve a Southeast Asian community, and there will probably be many brands. Described here are some of the most prominent.

Storing

:   Fish sauce, tightly capped and kept in a cool place out of direct sunlight, can be kept at room temperature for up to a few months. The contents of a bottle that has been opened and has quite a bit of air in it will darken somewhat, but it does not spoil.

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