The Magic of Fish Sauce

I admit that it did take me some time to get accustomed to the smell of fish sauce when I first started using it. So much so that I used it sparingly and with hesitance. I now toss it in without hesitation and just naturally assume that everyone else enjoys it as much as me! Of course, it is also one of those ingredients that adds that extra flavour without being that full on fish flavour – like it contributes to the final dish without overpowering it – which is what you might think it would do if you stuck your nose in it.

However, it does provide an umami flavour that makes food taste more savoury and complex. It combines sweet, salty, and fishy altogether in one sauce.

Interestingly, it seems that the Romans and Greeks were the first to use fish sauce, called garum.  There is always debate on how food and ingredients travelled – did fish sauce travel from Italy via the Silk Road to Asia or vice versa?  Did a Roman and a Vietnamese person leave some fish out in the sun covered in salt one day and discover fish sauce at the same time?  Who really knows – but I guess the thing is that you don’t see Italians using fish sauce in their dishes …

And fish sauce is primarily made in Asia and not in Italy or Greece.  Due to the taxes on the salt used to make fish sauce after the collapse of the Roman Empire, the production of fish sauce seems to have stopped in Europe but it continues of course to be made in Vietnam and Thailand, and there it is now a quintessential part of South East Asian cooking.

Fish sauce is essentially fish and salt.  The type of fish used can make a difference to how the end result will taste.  Most commonly used are oily fish (anchovies mostly), but will also alter the flavour if the fish is from the sea or from fresh water (obvious, I guess, when you think about it!).  Flavour also depends on how much salt is added or whether there are other ingredients in the sauce – such as squid, prawns, krill, soy.  Much like wine making, it seems, the kind of tank/vessel used for the ageing process and extraction of the liquid also affects flavour.

So, like all these sauces and condiments, there are subtle differences between products, and it may be that you find one that you particularly like and stick with and if all else fails and you are clean out of fish sauce – try worcestershire sauce (interesting fact that it is also made of fermented anchovies!).

So if you aren’t sure which fish sauce to buy, here is some advice in choosing :

• Minimum to no sugar as you can add sugar to your liking during the cooking process.
• What you pay for is often what you get. If there’s a difference of a couple of dollars, pay more. A little fish sauce goes a long way.
• Buy a larger bottle, it’s often more economical and it’ll keep.
• When you read the label, don’t be confused by the number before an N. This means the level of amino nitrogen, and indicates the protein level in the sauce. The higher the number the better the grade. Look for anything over 30N.
• As in olive oil, the first pressing is always the best.

Whilst we all know that fish sauce is a main ingredient in so many Thai, Vietnamese, Cambodian (SE Asian, really!) you can use it in so many other recipes.  We know it will make or break your laksa or your larb but here are some other ideas using it to add umami to your meal :

• Ragu, or any pasta sauces that are tomato, cream or cheese based. The reason is simple – fish sauce is another form of natural glutamate, like cheese or tomato. It will enhance the flavour without distracting.
• Fried rice, bibimbap, risotto, paella, congee or biryani – anything with rice
• Soups, stews, curries.
• Marinades for meat, seafood and vegetables.
• Egg dishes: omelettes, scrambled, frittata, baked and of course fried eggs – sunny side up!