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Most Thai people keep fish sauce out at room temperature right by the stove because we use it for everything and it needs to be at arm's reach. But we also go through it fast. Anyone who knows the importance of fish sauce in their Vietnamese and Thai dishes, will want a copy of this book. Highly recommended. From there, the salt draws liquid from the fish, and naturally existing enzymes allow the fermentation process to begin. It ferments for 12 to 24 months, and the resulting liquid is your " first-press", purest, extra-virgin fish sauce. If you don't consume animal products or you're allergic to fish, there are a few options. You can substitute soy sauce using a 1:1 ratio. However, if the fish sauce is the only seasoning and it's the main flavor, I do a combination of soy sauce and Golden Mountain Seasoning or Maggi Seasoning, just to give it a little more of a sharper flavour that seems to mimic fish sauce better.
TIPAROS. Another classic Thai household name that is on par with Squid and is widely available in the US (though not in Canada). I have used this in Thailand years ago, but have not tried it against other brands in a taste test. It does contain hydrolyzed vegetable protein which is a flavour enhancer, not unlike MSG, so it breaks my "simple ingredient list" rule. But it still tastes good so I make an exception for it. I have been a fan of fish sauce for years, ever since my first taste, and always have a bottle of Red Boat Fish Sauce in my pantry being a firm believer that everything is better with fish sauce. When I saw that a cookbook from Red Boat was coming out I knew I had to have it! This cookbook was more than I even imagined. The history of Red Boat was very interesting! Its founder, Cuong Pham, a Vietnamese refugee found himself working for Apple in the early days of Steve Jobs but couldn't forget the flavors of his childhood. He realized that Vietnamese food in the US didn't taste right because the fish sauce wasn't right. He became committed to discovering what made premium authentic fish sauce and invested in a small company in Vietnam. Shortly there after the company told him they wanted out and left him with the company which he parlayed into the number one name in fish sauce. Red Boat fish sauce, I found out, is off-the-beaten-path, and even the people at our hotel, who grew up on the island, had no idea how to get there. I understood why Cuong Pham, the owner (above), said, “Best to have the taxi driver call me. I’ll tell him how to get here.” Finally, the price tag can tell you something. You can use price as a general indication of quality because the most flavourful fish sauce actually takes more fish to make, and should cost you more.While exploring this cookbook, I tested the recipe for Pasta Marinara with Herbed Bread Crumbs which was phenomenal. The extra dose of umami really makes a difference! Another day, I tested the recipe for Broccolini with Very Delicious Garlic Sauce. I needed a “very delicious” vegetable to go with our Asian-inspired dinner so this was perfect. I didn’t have broccolini so I paired it with fresh blanched green beans and OH MY LORD were they good. The green beans were the first to go so I could only photograph my small portion. I plan to test many, many more of these recipes.
Then, you can start experimenting with non-traditional uses. Try using it in place of soy sauce in Asian cooking, but keep in mind that the flavours are very different, so try substituting just half of the soy sauce in stir fries or marinades see how it goes! I love this cookbook! It is a fascinating and unique blend of food, culture, and history. I particularly love the stories: from Pham’s history to the personal family anecdotes, the fish sauce making process, and even the anchovy catching process! Pham teaches us so much about Vietnamese culture, cuisine, and general cookery. No. If that were true, most Thai dishes would taste fishy. I have received many messages from first timers who smell it, then immediately cannot imagine how this could be added to food. I've even had someone asking me if it had gone bad! The book’s overall design is fun and fitting! I love the beautiful eye-catching colours and the wonderful fonts. I do wish more of the recipes had accompanying pictures. However, the included pictures are clean and bright with wonderfully simple staging that effectively highlights the gorgeous food.That's mostly it. I'm not sure how difficult these recipes are as I haven't tried any of them. I also have to say that aside from the pictures, it was annoying because this isn't a book you can hold open unless you use some sort of weight. It's more of a book that looks nice on your shelf or you either copy the recipes or hold the book open to keep your place for the recipe as you cook. My husband and I LOVE going to the Vietnamese restaurants in St. Paul, MN and have been fans of the cuisine since the early 1980’s, so a cookbook of beloved recipes was of great interest to me. As with anyone, we have certain likes and dislikes. I must confess that neither of us cares for pork belly as we have had it as presented by various restaurants, but do like many of the other ingredients that I saw in recipes in this cookbook. You can buy vegan fish sauce, but you have to be quite selective because there are some reeeealy bad ones out there. In the video I showed a bottle that is awful, and the ingredient list contains water, salt, sugar, MSG, caramel, "flavor" (whatever that is), and sodium benzoate which is the preservative. It's just a salty solution with artificial flavor added. We also use it as a condiment. Often in Thailand you’ll find prik nam pla on the table, which is a simple combination of fish sauce and chilies (and sometimes lime juice and garlic) used to add an extra boost of seasoning to anything that might need it, much in the same way salt and pepper are used in the West. How is Fish Sauce Made?
You can see from the jar on the left, below, what the anchovies and salt look like after they’ve been marinating in salt for a short time. If it's not a clear brown liquid, it's NOT the fish sauce you want. This is mam nem, an unfiltered fish sauce. Storage Tips
Use this fish sauce “neat” over roasted salmon, halibut or scallops, toss with sautéed greens and lemon or blend with butter and smear over a freshly seared steak or lamb chops. It’s particularly good with lime, Red Kampot Pepper and palm sugar as a dipping sauce or salad dressing. When I realized we were going to Vietnam, I decided not to start making lists of places to go or things to eat, like I often do. (I’m learning to say “Yes” to less-scheduled vacations.) Fortunately, a friend who lives with her family in Ho Chi Minh City planned almost our entire trip for us, and I was happy to relinquish the role to her. It is a little saltier than most, with 1670 mg of sodium per tablespoon, so if you're watching your salt intake, you may want to go with another brand. But because of this, it is the brand that I now use for my recipe testing to ensure that if you follow my recipe using a different brand of fish sauce, you're not going to end up with something that's is too salty; which is something you cannot fix.
The book is mostly formulaic, with recipes of the types of recipes, stories, history and more. Not all of the recipes have pictures (which was a bit disappointing), but otherwise it was a very nice-looking, colorful cookbook. I personally associated fish sauce in savory dishes that one would eat for standard meals but it appears you can use it in desserts/sweets or even Bloody Marys, which was pretty cool to read about. This deep amber sauce has a wonderfully punchy fermented fish nose to it. The flavour is savoury and umami with a rich but clean fish flavour. The fish and umami notes have length and there is a rounded flavour. It tasted nice on its own and it would be a great ingredient in cooking. This product seems more assertively fishy than many commercial fish sauces and as such displays considerable character. The 40N on the label refers to the nitrogen level in the sauce. The higher the number, the higher the nitrogen level. This means more proteins and more intense, complex flavours. Five stars. Five stars. Five stars. This is a beautifully warm and welcoming family cookbook filled with good food. One of the best American cookbooks I've seen in a while. And yes, you CAN use fish sauce outside of Asian cuisine! Remember it's just a source of salty and savory taste. Richer foods are great for experimenting as the fish flavour won't be too obvious: try it in stews, chili, bolognese sauce, braised meats, pasta sauces, or meatloaf! Prik nam pla is a great way to use fish sauce. It's a popular tableside fish sauce condiment that you can use to boost the flavour of any dish.SON. Similar to Red Boat, Son is a premium Vietnamese fish sauce that contains only the first press without added water or sugar. I will buy this cookbook as it has many good recipes that I think will have great flavor. I was impressed with the two I made and my husband loved them too! It is a great chance to read the books of important authors. I know that. I'm looking forward to your new books. It isn't often that I actually sit down and read a cookbook...but I read this one! I loved the story about how Red Boat Fish Sauce got started, the intro about Vietnamese cooking and ingredients, and the family anecdotes and photos!
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