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Fish sauce is a liquid condiment made from fish or krill that have been coated in
salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...
and fermented for up to two years. It is used as a staple seasoning in East Asian cuisine and Southeast Asian cuisine, particularly
Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
,
Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand ...
,
Laos Laos (, ''Lāo'' )), officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic ( Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ, French: République démocratique populaire lao), is a socialist s ...
,
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
,
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
, and
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making ...
. Some garum-related fish sauces have been used in the West since the Roman times. Due to its ability to add a savory umami flavor to dishes, it has been embraced globally by chefs and home cooks. The umami flavor in fish sauce is due to its
glutamate Glutamic acid (symbol Glu or E; the ionic form is known as glutamate) is an α-amino acid that is used by almost all living beings in the biosynthesis of proteins. It is a non-essential nutrient for humans, meaning that the human body can synt ...
content. Fish sauce is used as a seasoning during or after cooking, and as a base in
dipping sauce A dip or dipping sauce is a common condiment for many types of food. Dips are used to add flavor or texture to a food, such as pita bread, dumplings, crackers, chopped raw vegetables, fruits, seafood, cubed pieces of meat and cheese, pot ...
s.
Soy sauce Soy sauce (also called simply soy in American English and soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or '' As ...
is regarded by some in the West as a vegetarian alternative to fish sauce though they are very different in flavor.


History


Asia

Sauces that included fermented fish parts with other ingredients such as meat and soy bean were recorded in
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...
, 2300 years ago. During the
Zhou dynasty The Zhou dynasty ( ; Old Chinese ( B&S): *''tiw'') was a royal dynasty of China that followed the Shang dynasty. Having lasted 789 years, the Zhou dynasty was the longest dynastic regime in Chinese history. The military control of China by th ...
of ancient China, fish fermented with soybeans and salt was used as a condiment. By the time of the
Han dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...
, soy beans were fermented without the fish into soy paste and its by-product
soy sauce Soy sauce (also called simply soy in American English and soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or '' As ...
, with fermented fish-based sauces developing separately into fish sauce. A fish sauce, called ''kôechiap'' in
Hokkien The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages ...
Chinese, might be the precursor of ketchup. By 50-100 BC, demand for fish sauces and fish pastes in China had fallen drastically, with fermented bean products becoming a major trade commodity. Fish sauce, however, developed massive popularity in Southeast Asia. Food scholars traditionally divide East Asia into two distinct condiment regions, separated by a bean-fish divide: Southeast Asia, mainly using fermented fish (Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia), and Northeast Asia, using mainly fermented beans (China, Korea, Japan). Fish sauce re-entered China in the 17th and 18th centuries, brought from Vietnam and Cambodia by Chinese traders up the coast of the southern provinces Guangdong and Fujian.


Europe

Fish sauces were widely used in ancient Mediterranean cuisine. The earliest recorded production was between 4th–3rd century BC by the Ancient Greeks, who fermented scraps of fish called '' garos'' into one. It is believed to have been made with a lower salt content than modern fish sauces. The Romans made a similar condiment called either garum or liquamen. According to
Pliny the Elder Gaius Plinius Secundus (AD 23/2479), called Pliny the Elder (), was a Roman author, naturalist and natural philosopher, and naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire, and a friend of the emperor Vespasian. He wrote the encyclopedic ' ...
, "garum consists of the guts of fish and other parts that would otherwise be considered refuse so that garum is really the liquor from putrefaction." Garum was made in the Roman outposts of Spain almost exclusively from mackerel by salting the scrap fish innards, and then sun fermenting the flesh until it fell apart, usually for several months. The brown liquid would then be strained, bottled, and sold as a condiment. Remains of Roman fish salting facilities can still be seen, including in Algeciras in Spain and near
Setúbal Setúbal (, , ; cel-x-proto, Caetobrix) is a city and a municipality in Portugal. The population in 2014 was 118,166, occupying an area of . The city itself had 89,303 inhabitants in 2001. It lies within the Lisbon metropolitan area. In the t ...
in Portugal. The process lasted until the 16th century when garum makers switched to anchovy and removed the innards. Garum was ubiquitous in Classical Roman cooking. Mixed with wine it was known as ''oenogarum'', or with vinegar, ''oxygarum'', or mixed with honey, ''meligarum''. ''Garum'' was one of the trade specialties in
Hispania Baetica Hispania Baetica, often abbreviated Baetica, was one of three Roman provinces in Hispania (the Iberian Peninsula). Baetica was bordered to the west by Lusitania, and to the northeast by Hispania Tarraconensis. Baetica remained one of the basic di ...
. ''Garum'' was frequently maligned as smelling bad or rotten, being called, for example, "evil-smelling fish sauce" and is said to be similar to modern ''
colatura di alici (, translating to "anchovy drippings") is an Italian fish sauce made from anchovies, from the small fishing village of Cetara, Campania. The sauce is a transparent, amber-colored liquid, produced by fermenting salted anchovies inside ''terzigni ...
'', a fish sauce used in Neapolitan cuisine. In
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...
''garum'' was formerly translated as ''fish pickle''. The original Worcestershire sauce is a related product because it is fermented and contains anchovies. File:Factoría de salazones 001.jpg, Ruins of a Roman garum factory near Tarifa, Spain File:Fábrica romana de Salga 05.jpg, Ancient Roman garum factory in Portugal File:Garumamphoren.JPG, Two amphoras for garum


Difference from oyster sauce

While fish sauce and
oyster sauce Oyster sauce describes a number of sauces made by cooking oysters. The most common in modern use is a viscous dark brown condiment made from oyster extracts,The Times, 22 January 1981; ''Cook Accidentally on purpose'' sugar, salt and water thic ...
are both briny and may have related histories, they are different products. Fish sauce is watery, clear, and salty, whereas oyster sauce is made by reducing oyster extracts and therefore sweeter with a hint of salt and not as strong an aroma as fish sauce.


Ingredients and manufacture

Fish sauces historically have been prepared from different species of fish and shellfish, and from using the whole fish, or by using just fish
blood Blood is a body fluid in the circulatory system of humans and other vertebrates that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells, and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells. Blood in the cir ...
or viscera. Most modern fish sauces contain only fish and
salt Salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl), a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of salts; salt in the form of a natural crystalline mineral is known as rock salt or halite. Salt is present in vast quant ...
, usually made from anchovy, shrimp, mackerel, or other strong-flavored, high oil fish. Some variants add
herb In general use, herbs are a widely distributed and widespread group of plants, excluding vegetables and other plants consumed for macronutrients, with savory or aromatic properties that are used for flavoring and garnishing food, for medicina ...
s and
spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices are distinguished from herbs, which are the leaves, flowers, or stems of plants used for flavoring or as a garnish. Spices a ...
s. For modern fish sauces, fish or shellfish are mixed with salt at a concentration of 10% to 30%. It is then sealed in a closed container for up to two years. Once the original draft has been made, some fish sauces will be produced through a re-extraction of the fish mass via boiling. To improve the visual appearance and add taste, second-pass fish sauces often have added caramel, molasses, or roasted rice. They are thinner, and less costly. Some volume manufacturers of fish sauce will also water down a first-press to manufacture more products. Fish sauce that has been only briefly fermented has a pronounced fishy taste. Extended fermentation reduces this and gives the product a nuttier, richer and more savory flavor. An anonymous article, "Neuc-num", in
Diderot Denis Diderot (; ; 5 October 171331 July 1784) was a French philosopher, art critic, and writer, best known for serving as co-founder, chief editor, and contributor to the '' Encyclopédie'' along with Jean le Rond d'Alembert. He was a promi ...
and d'Alembert's 18th-century Encyclopédie, states: "It is said that Europeans become accustomed enough to this type of sauce".


Regional variations


Southeast Asia

Southeast Asian fish sauce is often made from anchovies, salt, and water, and is intensely flavoured. Anchovies and salt are arranged in wooden barrels to ferment and are slowly pressed, yielding the salty, fishy liquid. The salt extracts the liquid via
osmosis Osmosis (, ) is the spontaneous net movement or diffusion of solvent molecules through a selectively-permeable membrane from a region of high water potential (region of lower solute concentration) to a region of low water potential (region ...
. Southeast Asians generally use fish sauce as a cooking sauce. However, there is a sweet and sour version of this sauce which is used more commonly as a dipping sauce.


Myanmar

Fish sauce in
Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
is called ''ngan bya yay'' (ငါးငံပြာရည်).


Cambodia

In
Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand ...
, fish sauce is called ''tik trei'' ( km, ទឹកត្រី, ). Just like '' prahok'', it is believed to date back to the pre-Angkorean era. Industrially fish sauce is produced by mixing ''trei aing keuy'' or anchovies with coarse salt and fermenting it in large wooden vats. Over the period of six to eight months, it is distilled five times, before being transferred into jars and sun-fermented for the final 2–3 months. The most famous fish sauce is produced in the Kampot Province. Food Production Company of Kampot produces a speciality fish sauce containing roe. Fish sauce is mixed with sugar, lime juice,
chili pepper Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for ...
s and crushed roasted peanuts to create sweet fish sauce, which is the most popular dipping sauce in Cambodia. File:Neary Khmer, 2018-01-02 (004).jpg, Cambodian sweet fish sauce mixed with chopped chili peppers and slices of garlic


Laos

In Lao/
Isan Northeast Thailand or Isan ( Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 prov ...
, it is called ''nam pa'' ( lo, ນ້ໍາປາ). A chunkier, more aromatic version known as ''
padaek Padaek , sometimes known as padek, or Lao fish sauce (Lao: ປາແດກ) ( th, ปลาแดก), similar to pla ra in Thailand ( th, ปลาร้า), is a traditional Lao condiment made from pickled or fermented fish that has been cure ...
'' is also used.


Philippines

The
Philippine The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
fish sauce is known as ''patis''. It is one of the most important ingredients in Filipino cuisine. ''Patis'' is a by-product of ''
bagoong ''Bagoóng'' (; ) is a Philippine condiment partially or completely made of either fermented fish (''bagoóng'') or krill or shrimp paste (''alamáng'') with salt. The fermentation process also produces fish sauce known as ''patís''. The p ...
'' production, which include ''
bagoong isda ''Bagoóng'' (; ) is a Philippine condiment partially or completely made of either fermented fish (''bagoóng'') or krill or shrimp paste (''alamáng'') with salt. The fermentation process also produces fish sauce known as ''patís''. The pr ...
'' (fermented fish) and '' bagoong alamang'' (fermented krill), as well as the rarer ''bagoong macabebe'' (fermented
oyster Oyster is the common name for a number of different families of salt-water bivalve molluscs that live in marine or brackish habitats. In some species, the valves are highly calcified, and many are somewhat irregular in shape. Many, but not ...
s) and ''bagoong sisi'' (fermented clams). The fish used are typically small like sardines, anchovies,
ambassid The Asiatic glassfishes are a family, the Ambassidae, of freshwater and marine fishes that were formerly classified in the order Perciformes, but most authorities consider this order to be paraphyletic and that the Ambassidae are of uncertain a ...
s, and the fry of larger fish. Unlike other fish sauce variants, the fermented solids are not discarded but are sold as separate products. The ''patis'' is skimmed from the upper layers of fermenting ''bagoong'' and is not pressed. As such, ''patis'' usually takes longer to produce than other types of fish sauce as it is reliant on the readiness of ''bagoong''. ''Patis'' is nearly always cooked prior to consumption, even when used as an accent to
salad A salad is a dish consisting of mixed, mostly natural ingredients with at least one raw ingredient. They are typically served at room temperature or chilled, though some can be served warm. Condiments and salad dressings, which exist in a va ...
s or other raw dishes. ''Patis'' is also used as an ingredient in cooked dishes, including a rice porridge called '' arroz caldo'', and as a condiment for fried fish. ''Patis'' is also used in place of table salt in meals to enhance the flavor of the food, where it can either be dashed from a dispensing bottle onto the food, or poured into a saucer and mixed with calamansi and labuyo chilis and used as a dipping sauce. File:Bornayjars.jpg, Traditional ''burnay'' jars containing fermenting ''
bagoong ''Bagoóng'' (; ) is a Philippine condiment partially or completely made of either fermented fish (''bagoóng'') or krill or shrimp paste (''alamáng'') with salt. The fermentation process also produces fish sauce known as ''patís''. The p ...
'' in Ilocos Norte File:09975jfSauces of the Philippinesfvf 02.jpg, Commercial ''patis'' sold in the Philippines File:Sili at patis (fish sauce and chilis), Philippines.jpg, Dipping sauce made from ''patis'' with '' siling haba'' peppers


Thailand

Fish sauce in
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
is called ''nam pla'' ( th, น้ำปลา). In
Isan Northeast Thailand or Isan ( Isan/ th, อีสาน, ; lo, ອີສານ; also written as Isaan, Isarn, Issarn, Issan, Esan, or Esarn; from Pali ''īsānna'' or Sanskrit ईशान्य ''īśānya'' "northeast") consists of 20 prov ...
, it is called ''nam pa''. Similar to the Laotian ''padaek'' is ''
pla ra ''Pla ra'' ( th, ปลาร้า, ), similar to padaek in Laos, is a traditional Thai seasoning produced by fermenting fish with rice bran or roasted rice flour and salt fermented in a closed container for at least six months. Fermented f ...
'' ( th, ปลาร้า), also used in Thai cuisine. In Thailand, fish sauce is used both in cooking and also served at the table as a condiment, for instance in noodle soups. Nearly every Thai meal is served with ''phrik nam pla'' as a condiment: a mixture of fish sauce, lime juice, and chopped
bird's eye chili Bird's eye chili or Thai chili (Thai: ''prik ki nu'', พริกขี้หนู, literally "mouse dung chili" owing to its shape) is a chili pepper, a variety from the species ''Capsicum annuum'' native to Mexico. Cultivated across Southea ...
es. Sliced garlic is often added to this sauce. Historically, there were two types of fish sauce made in Thailand: that made with a fresh-water fish, ''pla soi'', and sauce made from a salt-water fish, ''pla kratak''. Either fish is fermented for at least eight months, three parts fish to two parts salt. The resulting mash is filtered. This yields the best fish sauce called the "base". The dregs are then mixed with water and salt and again fermented for three to four months. This yields a second-grade fish sauce, mostly used in cooking. In 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) banned the import of Thai fish sauces due to a lack of information about tests for
botulinum toxin Botulinum toxin, or botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT), is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium ''Clostridium botulinum'' and related species. It prevents the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from axon endings at the neurom ...
. The toxin can cause death if more than 0.5
micrograms In the metric system, a microgram or microgramme is a unit of mass equal to one millionth () of a gram. The unit symbol is μg according to the International System of Units (SI); the recommended symbol in the United States and United Kingdom ...
are consumed. The Thai Office of Food Safety and Quality then tested 48 brands of fish sauce to determine the content of botulinum toxin in the products. Of 48 brands tested, 28 were genuine fish sauces from 18 production sites in 12 provinces. Twenty samples from production sites in eight provinces were adulterated fish sauce. Tests showed that none were contaminated with botulinum toxin types A, B, E, and F and were free of '' Clostridium botulinum'' bacteria. In 2018, rumours again surfaced concerning banned Thai fish sauce. File:Phrik nam pla.jpg, ''
Nam pla phrik Nam, Nam, or The Nam are shortened terms for: * Vietnam, which is also spelled ''Viet Nam'' * The Vietnam War Nam, The Nam or NAM may also refer to: Arts and media * Nam, a fictional character in anime series ''Dragon Ball'' * ''NAM'' (video ...
'' ("fish sauce with chili") is served with some Thai meals File:Thaifishsauce0609.jpg, Prepared fish sauces in Thailand


Vietnam

The variety from
Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making ...
is called ''nước mắm''. There are two areas in Vietnam that are most famous for producing fish sauce: Phú Quốc and Phan Thiết. Fish sauce has a 300 year history dating back to the
Champa Champa ( Cham: ꨌꩌꨛꨩ; km, ចាម្ប៉ា; vi, Chiêm Thành or ) were a collection of independent Cham polities that extended across the coast of what is contemporary central and southern Vietnam from approximately the 2nd ...
kingdom of the Cham people. The birthplace of fish sauce is believed to be from Phan Thiết. Phan Thiết can be identified with Vietnamese fish sauce. Before 1693, Phan Thiết was a territory of
Champa Champa ( Cham: ꨌꩌꨛꨩ; km, ចាម្ប៉ា; vi, Chiêm Thành or ) were a collection of independent Cham polities that extended across the coast of what is contemporary central and southern Vietnam from approximately the 2nd ...
. The Vietnamese arrived in the area and commercialized the fish sauce by keeping it in barrels and selling throughout the country. This business was popularized by Trần Gia Hòa who was born in 1872. There is a fish sauce museum in Phan Thiết. Popular brands in the US include Mega Chef, Red Boat, 3 Crabs, Golden Boy, and Hòn Phan Thiết. Vietnamese fish sauces are made with anchovies, mackerel, scabbard fish, and salt. High mercury concentration can be found in larger fish, especially in predator fish like scabbard fish. They do not have any additives like sugar, hydrolyzed protein, or preservatives. Vietnamese prefer sauces without a strong smell, and transparent with a deep golden amber color. "First press" fish sauce, meaning the sauce is bottled from the first time the fermenting barrels are drained, also indicates quality. Lastly, when measuring the
nitrogen Nitrogen is the chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a nonmetal and the lightest member of group 15 of the periodic table, often called the pnictogens. It is a common element in the universe, estimated at se ...
level of fish sauces (N), most fish sauce on the market falls within the mid 20N range. Anything over 30N is considered high-grade, and 40N is optimal. ''
Nước chấm (, Chữ Nôm: 渃㴨) is a common name for a variety of Vietnamese " dipping sauces" that are served quite frequently as condiments. It is commonly a sweet, sour, salty, savoury and/or spicy sauce. (mixed fish sauce) is the most well kn ...
'' is a Vietnamese prepared fish-based condiment (also referred to as a "sauce") that is savory, lightly sweet and salty tasting, and can be sour and spicy if lime and chili peppers are added. The main components are fish sauce, water, and sugar. '' Mắm'' is made much like fish sauce, except that it is not fermented as long, and the fish is kept along with its liquid extract, not just the extract. ''Mắm'' can be used as a base condiment in dipping sauces with additional ingredients or used in soups or stir-fries. In January 2016, the Institute of Food Technologists published a study asserting that using Vietnamese fish sauce as a substitute for sodium chloride (salt) in chicken broth, tomato sauce, and coconut curry reduced the amount of sodium chloride by 10 to 25 percent while still maintaining the perceived deliciousness, saltiness, and overall flavor intensity. File:Phu quoc bateau de peche 2.jpg, Fishing boats in , where the most prized fish sauce is made File:Fish sauce factory, Phu Quoc.jpg, A fish sauce factory in File:Bún trộn, James Bun, Paris 27 August 2016 004.jpg, A small bowl of nước chấm (literally meaning, dipping water)


East Asia


China

In China, fish sauce is called ''yúlù'' ( zh, s=鱼露, t=魚露, p=yúlù, literally "fish dew") and is native to the provinces of Guangdong and Fujian. In Chaoshan cuisine, fish sauce is made with Reeve's shad (''Tenualosa reevesii''), which is unsuitable for direct eating due to being fatty, bony, and odorous.


Japan

In Japan, fish sauce is called ''gyoshō'' (魚醤); another name is ''uoshōyu'' (魚醤油). There are several variations used in regional cuisines. ''Ishiru'' in the Noto Peninsula is made from sardine and
squid True squid are molluscs with an elongated soft body, large eyes, eight arms, and two tentacles in the superorder Decapodiformes, though many other molluscs within the broader Neocoleoidea are also called squid despite not strictly fittin ...
.
Shottsuru 200px, "Akita shottsuru" made from hatahata (left). The other bottle is ''ishiru'' made from sardine. Shottsuru (塩魚汁) is a pungent regional Japanese fish sauce similar to the Thai nam pla. The authentic version is made from the fish known th ...
, the best-known type of Japanese fish sauce and often used as a synonym for all ''gyoshō'', is from
Akita Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Provinces and prefectures" in ; "Tōhoku" in . Its population is approximately 966,000 (as of 1 October 2019) and its geographic area is 11,6 ...
and is mainly made from
sailfin sandfish The Japanese sandfish (''Arctoscopus japonicus''), also known as the sailfin sandfish , is a species of fish of the Percomorpha (perch-like) clade in the order Trachiniformes, being one of the two genera in the family Trichodontidae, the sandf ...
. ''Ikanago shoyu'' of
Kagawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Kagawa Prefecture has a population of 949,358 (as of 2020) and is the smallest prefecture by geographic area at . Kagawa Prefecture borders Ehime Prefecture to the southwest and Tok ...
is made from sand lance. They are used in '' nabemono'', in salad dressings, and as a flavoring ingredient in
ramen is a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of served in a broth; common flavors are soy sauce and miso, with typical toppings including , nori (dried seaweed), menma (bamboo shoots), and scallions. Ramen has its roots in Chinese noodle di ...
soups. File:Gyosyou2830.JPG, Japanese Fish sauce, ''
Shottsuru 200px, "Akita shottsuru" made from hatahata (left). The other bottle is ''ishiru'' made from sardine. Shottsuru (塩魚汁) is a pungent regional Japanese fish sauce similar to the Thai nam pla. The authentic version is made from the fish known th ...
'' and '' Ishiru


Korea

In Korea, fish sauce is called ''eojang'' (). Across the
Korean Peninsula Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic ...
, ''aekjeot'' (, literally "liquid ''
jeotgal ''Jeotgal'' () or ''jeot'' (), translated as salted seafood, is a category of salted preserved dishes made with seafood such as shrimps, oysters, clams, fish, and roe. Depending on the ingredients, ''jeotgal'' can range from flabby, solid pi ...
''"), a type of fish sauce usually made from fermented anchovies or sand lances, is used as a crucial ingredient in many types of kimchi, both for taste and fermentation. In Jeju island, ''eoganjang'' (), made of fermented ''godori'' (young chub mackerel) or horse mackerel, is used in place of
soy sauce Soy sauce (also called simply soy in American English and soya sauce in British English) is a liquid condiment of Chinese origin, traditionally made from a fermented paste of soybeans, roasted grain, brine, and ''Aspergillus oryzae'' or '' As ...
. Myeolchi-aekjeot.jpg, '' Myeolchi- aekjeot'' (anchovy sauce) Eo-ganjang.png, ''Eo-ganjang'' of Jeju Island


Europe


Italy

''
Colatura di alici (, translating to "anchovy drippings") is an Italian fish sauce made from anchovies, from the small fishing village of Cetara, Campania. The sauce is a transparent, amber-colored liquid, produced by fermenting salted anchovies inside ''terzigni ...
'' is an Italian fish sauce originating in the village of
Cetara, Campania Cetara is a town and '' comune'' in the province of Salerno in the Campania region of south-western Italy. It is located in the territory of the Amalfi Coast. History The village was originally a settlement for a group of armed Muslims in 880. ...
.


England

Worcestershire sauce contains fermented anchovies among other ingredients, which is common in the
Anglosphere The Anglosphere is a group of English-speaking nations that share historical and cultural ties with England, and which today maintain close political, diplomatic and military co-operation. While the nations included in different sources vary, t ...
countries.


Nutrition contents

Common commercial brands of fish sauce generally contain about 50% to 60% of the FDA's daily recommended amount of sodium per tablespoon serving. Most commercial brands of reasonable quality contain one or two grams of protein per serving; however, higher-quality brands may have four grams of protein or more, while lower-quality brands may have less than one gram of protein per serving. Fish sauce has an insignificant amount of carbohydrates and fats. Vitamin B12,
vitamin B-6 Vitamin B6 is one of the B vitamins, and thus an essential nutrient. The term refers to a group of six chemically similar compounds, i.e., "vitamers", which can be interconverted in biological systems. Its active form, pyridoxal 5′-phosphat ...
, and
magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ...
are present in small amounts.


See also

* Budu * * List of dips * * Prahok * Shrimp paste


References


Further reading

* Cooks Illustrated (September/October 2015) "Fish Sauce Taste Test
Best Fish Sauces of 2021 , Cook's Illustrated
* Hastings (2015

* Hildebrant (2014
"Fish Sauce Taste Test, 13 Brands Compared"
from Our Daily Brine * Johnson (2015
"3 Reasons To Get A Little More Umami in your Diet"
from US News health. * Meewes, Veronica (2015) ''The Fish Sauce Cookbook'' published by Andrews McMeel ISBN, 9781449468699 * Murdoch (2004
''Essential Seafood Cookbook''
Seafood sauces, pp. 128–143.
Murdoch Books Murdoch Books is an Australian publisher, mainly of gardening and cook books. The company had its beginnings when '' The Advertiser'' of Adelaide started printing magazines. Advertiser Magazines was renamed Murdoch Magazines in 1988. It publi ...
. . * Nguyen (2008
"How to Buy Fish Sauce: A Guide"
from Viet World Kitchen * * Rosen (2013
"Can Fish Sauce Be Vietnam's Champagne?"
from The Atlantic


External links


Making Vietnamese prepared fish sauce dipping sauce (nước chấm)
from HungryHuy.com
Phu Quoc fish sauce guide
from PhuQuocIslandGuide.com {{Thai cuisine Ancient dishes Cambodian cuisine Chinese sauces Hawaiian cuisine Korean condiments Lao cuisine Philippine condiments Sauces Thai cuisine Umami enhancers Vietnamese cuisine