Fish Sauce

[Ducky Cary]

I have just bought my first Wok and a new recipe book to go with it. I'm very excited.
I noticed that a lot of the recipes need this fish sauce. I wasn't sure what fish sauce was so I looked up it and I don't think it's something I will like, I'm not really a fish person in the first place. I don't think I will be able to handle the smell.
Is there something that I can substitute for it?
Can I go without?



Thanks

 

[GB]

Give fish sauce a try. You have probably eat it thousands of times without even realizing it. Yes the ingredient list will make you not want to try it and don't smell it right out of the bottle because it is potent stuff, but its flavor is an important one in Chinese cuisine. When it is used in cooking then you will not notice the strong flavor/smell, but if you omit it then you will notice something is missing. Give it a try just once. I am sure you will be surprised.

 

[Andy M.]

GB is correct. The fish sauce adds to the dish but you won't be able to taste it as a distinct flavor in the finished product. Trust me, this is an important ingredient.

 

[valnaples]

Yes, do buy some but be careful that it does not have a bunch of weird ingredients; read the label before purchasing. I try to think of it like anchovies...I know I don't like them but they do add tremendous and distinctive flavor to many sauces.

 

[jennyema]

Fish sauce is key to basically any Thai or Vietnamese dish. If you've eaten in a Thai restaurant you have eaten fish sauce and probably liked it.

You can buy it in any asian market and in most big supermarkets. Fish sauce doesn't have any weird ingredients -- just fermented fish (usually anchovies) salt and sugar.

It comes in a big bottle -- don't let that scare you. It'll keep forever.

3 Crabs, Squid and Golden Boy are good brands. See HERE

 

[Ducky Cary]

Thanks

OK I'm in. I'm going to give it a try tonight. Thank you all for the input. I'll let you know how it goes.

Cary

 

[Ducky Cary]

Not Bad

I tried the fish sauce a couple ways.
I used it in my first Wok experience and I used it with some hot sauce for dipping roll into.

I was really worried of what the taste and smell was going to be like and it was fine, nothing like I had though it might be.

I’m glad I asked about fish sauce before crossing it off my shoppin list. I will use it again.


Now I need to learn how to use a Wok. It was fun (and messy) but I think this will take a lot practice.


Thanks for all the encouragement and good advice

Cary

 

[GB]

Way to go Cary! It is so great that you had an open mind. I am so happy it worked out well for you

 

[auntdot]

I kinda put fish sauce in the same category as Worcestershireshireshire sauce.

Once you find out how it is made, it seems kinda oogy.

But it really adds something to dishes.

Glad you enjoyed it.

 

[kitchenelf]

"oogy" - what a great word!!

If you ever decide to make fresh Vietnamese Spring/Summer rolls you can mix soy sauce with fish sauce (roughly equal parts), add a little fresh lime, and fresh chopped cilantro.

I'm glad you gave it a try. It's kind of like cumin - that's not the best smelling stuff but I can't get enough of it in certain dishes.

 

[derailedbus]

I'd like to know some other recipes that it can be used in. I'm fairly new to food experimentation, and really new to cooking, but I've jumped in without a life-jacket. I was recently at an Asian supermarket (a genuine one, where everyone was staring at me like I was an Ogre). Maybe I kinda was resembling one; I was the only Caucasion there, I'm 6'1", 220#, with a long, red beard and was stumbling about the produce section like I had found El Dorado. Anyways, I loaded up on everything I'd read about but never used and fish sauce was something I'd grabbed. There were literally 20+ different brands of it there, so I got a small bottle. Took a swig straight from the bottle, and after the initial shock, I absolutely gotta find a recipe to use it in!

 

[Zereh]

I have had huge success with the fried rice recipes on Steamy Kitchen ~ and fish sauce is a definite requirement in them.

 

[buckytom]

i like to make a side dish/topping for london broil using fish sauce.

while the steak is broiling, fry some garlic, add ginger, soy sauce, a little stock, and fish sauce, then i add some baby bok choy to the mixture and cook for a minute or three until it just begins to soften but is still al dente.

set london broil aside to rest.

plate the baby bok choy around an oval platter, and reduce the remaining liquid addinh a bit of a corn starch slurry to thicken.

slice the london broil and fan out insde the bok choy ring, add any juices from slicing to the reduced sauce, then pour over top of the meat.

 

[Timothy]

I'd like to know some other recipes that it can be used in. I'm fairly new to food experimentation, and really new to cooking, but I've jumped in without a life-jacket. I was recently at an Asian supermarket (a genuine one, where everyone was staring at me like I was an Ogre). Maybe I kinda was resembling one; I was the only Caucasion there, I'm 6'1", 220#, with a long, red beard and was stumbling about the produce section like I had found El Dorado. Anyways, I loaded up on everything I'd read about but never used and fish sauce was something I'd grabbed. There were literally 20+ different brands of it there, so I got a small bottle. Took a swig straight from the bottle, and after the initial shock, I absolutely gotta find a recipe to use it in!

Man oh man, you took a swig of fish sauce right from the bottle and enjoyed it? <Gag> <Cough> <Retch>, Dude! You're kidding, right? I've used the stuff for cooking for years, but I would NEVER drink it right from the bottle! Yuck!

That's some seriously strong flavored stuff!

 

[GLC]

If you appreciate fish sauce, you joint an ancient fan club of what's been made all over the world in essentially the same way. Goes at least back to the ancient Mediterranean where the Romans called it garum or liquamen (they were the same, only different - no one knows just how). And it was absolutely essential to their cuisine.

I like Squid brand. (There's no squid in it.) And about four times a year, I trek over to the giant Asian grocery that serves ALL Asian cultures and stock up on the otherwise hard to find.

 

[jennyema]

Man oh man, you took a swig of fish sauce right from the bottle and enjoyed it? <Gag> <Cough> <Retch>, Dude! You're kidding, right? I've used the stuff for cooking for years, but I would NEVER drink it right from the bottle! Yuck!

That's some seriously strong flavored stuff!

I do it all the time. Yesterday, in fact.

I have done personal taste tests of different brands by sipping them.

 

[Timothy]

I do it all the time. Yesterday, in fact.

I have done personal taste tests of different brands by sipping them.

Wow, the closest I've came to doing that is just sniffing the bottle! That convinced me to NOT try a sip.

Love it in lots of things I cook though. I generally put in about twice what the recipe calls for.

 

[Dawgluver]

Wow, the closest I've came to doing that is just sniffing the bottle! That convinced me to NOT try a sip.

Love it in lots of things I cook though. I generally put in about twice what the recipe calls for.

My reaction is just like yours, Timothy, though I do like it as an ingredient. Just not as a beverage.

 

[Timothy]

My reaction is just like yours, Timothy, though I do like it as an ingredient. Just not as a beverage.

Kinda like Mustard. I love mustard and horseradish, but wouldn't try spoonfuls of either, right from the bottle. Maybe a tad on the tip of a finger...I would do that with fish sauce if there was a reason to, but I buy "Phu' quoc' fish sauce, so no taste testing is necessary.

 

[jennyema]

I'm talking tasting like a teaspoon of it at a time.

Not sure how you can use an ingredient if you don't taste it on its own.