Fish sauce
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Try the Good Food app - subscribe todayFish sauce is a salty sauce often used in Vietnamese and Thai cuisine. Find out what is in fish sauce, plus how to select, store and cook with it.
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What is fish sauce?
A seasoning often used in Vietnamese and Thai cooking. In Vietnam it is usually made from shrimp; in Thailand it is usually made from fermented fish. Although not overly fishy in flavour, fish sauce has a distinctly pungent smell and strong salty flavour.
Availability
Thai fish sauce is widely available in Asian shops and supermarkets but Vietnamese fish sauce can be more difficult to find.
Choose the best
The colour ranges from light to very dark, but generally lighter-coloured sauces are regarded as better quality.
Store it
Keep fish sauce in a cool, dark place for up to a year. Don't ever use it after the expiry date.
Cook it
Make a dipping sauce by blending fish sauce with finely chopped garlic, fresh chillies, sugar and lime juice.
Alternatives
Try soy sauce or shrimp paste.
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