Fish sauce is a fermented condiment made from various fish species, commonly used in Asian cuisine. It has a strong aroma and salty flavor, and is also used in the West, where it has evolved into products like Worcestershire sauce. It is often cut with other ingredients and used in moderation.
Fish sauce is a condiment made from fermented fish. There are several types in use around the world, made in various ways from an assortment of species. The condiment is most closely associated with Asian cuisine, as numerous Asian nations use it extensively. It also appears in the West, however, and the sauce has a very long history.
The basis of fish sauce is, of course, fish. Some producers use salted fish, while others use fresh fish, dried fish or cooked fish. Anchovies are a common choice, but other species can be used as well, and some recipes actually call for just the innards of the fish, while others use whole ones. The fish is packed in barrels with or without an assortment of spices, and salt is also added. It is then left to ferment, resulting in a light brown liquid which has a fairly strong aroma and lends a rich, salty flavor to the dishes it is added to.
Fish sauce’s roots in Asia are ancient, and the condiment has made its way to the top of the charts in many countries. It may be called nuoc mam, nam pla, patis or bagoong monamon, depending on the country. Asian cuisine also includes a cognate family of fermented fish pastes and condiments. This product can be added to dipping sauces, included in seasoning for french fries, and sprinkled into salad dressings and meats. Depending on the country, it can be used almost like flavored salt or soy sauce, as the combination of salt and fermented fish poultices has quite the flavor.
In the West, this seasoning has been produced for thousands of years, although it has evolved slightly away from truly fermented fish. The prime example was garum, a condiment made by the Romans from anchovies and an assortment of other wild-caught fish. Garum was a crucial ingredient in Roman cuisine and was transported throughout the Roman Empire. A modern descendant of garum is Worcestershire sauce, a popular British condiment.
Straight fish sauce tends to be extraordinarily strong and salty. Usually, it’s added to dishes in moderation and cut with ingredients like citrus juice and sugar. The savory flavor pairs well with a wide assortment of ingredients, especially in Asian cuisine, which is designed to take advantage of the unique taste. Many Asian markets carry an assortment of these sauces, and some Western stores do too, usually in the Asian ingredients section.
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