The Vietnamese use fish sauce to flavor their foods the same way Americans use table salt; it pretty much goes with everything. The making of the raw Vietnamese fish sauce (Nuoc Mam) involves collecting the dripped liquid off of fermenting fresh anchovy fish. When the fish are placed in a barrel, the liquid drops to the bottom. That liquid is removed and poured back into the top of the barrel. After about 6 months, this makes a strong, salty liquid that is bottled and used to flavor other Vietnamese dishes. Miraculously, the fishy smell dissipates when the sauce is combined with other ingredients. Read on for a recipe to make the traditional that's used for cooking and dipping seafood.
Instructions
Make Vietnamese Fish Sauce
1. The 2 towns most noted for their fish sauce are Phu Quoc and Phan Thiet. Check the label when buying your fish sauce, the "nhi" signifies a high quality sauce.
2. Mince your 2 cloves of garlic and chop your 1/2 carrot.
3. Combine with the fish sauce, sugar, water, chili paste and lime juice.
4. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Makes about 2 cups to serve.
Tags: fish sauce, Make Vietnamese, Make Vietnamese Fish, Vietnamese fish, Vietnamese fish sauce, Vietnamese Fish Sauce