If you’ve ever dabbled in Vietnamese or Thai cooking, chances are you know the terms nuoc mam and nam pla. For the rest of us, I’ll translate. Nuoc mam and nam pla are translated literally as “fish water” or fish sauce. Fish sauce is a staple in Vietnamese and Thai cooking much like salt is a staple in Western cooking. It is used in a majority of recipes and has been around a long, long time.
In imperial Roman times fish sauce was called liquamen or garem and was one of the most common and strongest seasonings. Popular enough to be commercially produced, the best sauces came from Pompeii, Leptis, Magna and Antipolis. In fact, liquamen was so common that it’s absence from a dish was instantly noticeable.
The manufacturing of fish sauce is a major industry and most factories are located along the coast to assure the freshness of the fish to be processed. The two towns said to produce the best fish sauce are Phu Quoc and Phan Thiet in Vietnam. Mostly used as a dipping sauce, fish sauce is made by layering fresh anchovies and salt in huge wooden barrels and allowing it to ferment for several months. During this time liquid drips from an open tap in the bottom of the barrel. This liquid is put back into the top of the barrel and after about six months the fish sauce is ready for bottling. In some cases water and caramel are added before bottling.
There are three “drainings” of fish sauce. Think in terms of olive oil, extra virgin, and virgin. The first draining is very light and very clear. This is reserved for table use and is very expensive. The second and third drainings are of lower quality and are used for general purpose cooking. On the label, the “nhi” is the highest quality and “Ca Com” means that only anchovies were used suggesting the highest quality for table use.
When using fish sauce remember these two major rules of thumb. The first is never use fish sauce straight from the bottle. Always dilute it to make a dipping sauce. Secondly, never add fish sauce to a hot, dry pan while cooking. The aroma will be overpowering. Always sprinkle into foods that have liquid.
Other types of fish sauce are also available. Oyster sauce is a Cantonese specialty used as an all-purpose seasoning for meat, fish, vegetables, and noodles. Fine Shrimp sauce known as kapee in Thailand is left to ferment and dry in the sun instead of crocks or barrels, and Barbecue sauce is made of dried fish, shrimp, garlic, peanuts and spices.
A variety of fish sauces can be found in international food stores such as Jay’s International Foods or Global Food Market. Your local supermarkets carry a Thai brand of fish sauce and Oyster sauce. If you can’t find Vietnamese fish sauce, look for ones from Thailand or Hong Kong. Squid Brand fish sauce is considered the best on the market. Here are a couple of recipes to get you started. Since Asian food is all the rage these days, you can feel trendy while you make them. I know I can always use a little help in the trendy department.
This article appears in March 2024.