Condiment

Fish sauce

Also called nam pla, nuoc mam

What it is

Salted, fermented fish liquid. The savoury backbone of mainland Southeast Asia.

Origin

Southeast Asia; related to older Mediterranean fish sauces.

Flavour

Funky, salty, meaty. The funk cooks into savoury.

How to use it

Balance with lime and sugar. A good bottle should smell intense, not rotten.

Storage

Pantry.

Where to buy

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Questions about Fish sauce

From this ingredient's notes in the catalogue — not a chatbot.

What is Fish sauce?

Salted, fermented fish liquid. The savoury backbone of mainland Southeast Asia.

How do I use Fish sauce?

Balance with lime and sugar. A good bottle should smell intense, not rotten.

How do I store Fish sauce?

Pantry.

What does it taste like?

Funky, salty, meaty. The funk cooks into savoury.

What allergens should I watch?

Fish. Check the packet in your kitchen.

What can replace Fish sauce?

soy sauce + lime (medium for Southeast Asian dressings). Salty and bright, not funky. A mashed anchovy is closer if fish is acceptable.

Nutrition

Per 100g · estimate · USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables. Values are typical, not lab tests of your shopping bag.

Calories 35 kcal

Protein 5.1 g

Carbs 3.6 g

Fat 0 g

Allergens: Fish

Recipes using it

Pad thai

ผัดไทย

Stir-fried rice noodles with tamarind, fish sauce, palm sugar, egg and peanuts — a national dish with a 20th-century origin story.

40 minMedium🌶️

Som tam

ส้มตำ

Isaan green papaya salad pounded in a mortar — lime, fish sauce, chilli, peanuts, and a crunch that should be loud.

20 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️

Phở bò

Vietnamese beef noodle soup: a long, clear-ish broth, rice noodles, herbs, and a table full of finishing flavours.

4 hrA bit of work🌶️

Baechu-kimchi

배추김치

Napa cabbage salted and packed with a gochugaru-garlic paste — the ferment the rest of the kitchen leans on.

13 hrMedium🌶️🌶️🌶️

Pad krapow

ผัดกะเพรา

Holy basil stir-fry, ripping hot, with a fried egg and rice — the Thai plate people actually order on a Tuesday.

20 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️

Khao soi

ข้าวซอย

Northern Thai curry noodles — coconut broth, boiled noodles, fried noodles on top, pickle on the side.

55 minMedium🌶️🌶️

Moo ping

หมูปิ้ง

Street grilled pork skewers, coconut-sweet and a little smoky, eaten with sticky rice.

2 hr 32 minEasyNo chilli

Larb

ลาบ

Isaan minced-meat salad — lime, fish sauce, toasted rice powder, herbs. Heat that wants sticky rice.

25 minEasy🌶️🌶️🌶️

Bánh mì

A Vietnamese baguette — crackly crust, pâté or mayo, pickles, herbs, chilli, and a filling that is not 'an Asian sub'.

35 minEasy🌶️

Gỏi cuốn

Fresh rice-paper rolls — prawn or pork, herbs, noodles — dipped in peanut or nước chấm. Not fried.

40 minMediumNo chilli

Bún chả

Hanoi grilled pork, rice noodles, a sweet-sour dipping broth, and a pile of herbs.

1 hr 45 minMediumNo chilli

Bún bò Huế

A central Vietnamese beef-and-lemongrass noodle soup — thicker noodles, a redder broth, and more chilli than phở.

3 hr 30 minA bit of work🌶️🌶️🌶️

Cơm tấm

Broken-rice plate — grilled pork, a chilled egg meatloaf, pickles and fish sauce. Saigon lunch architecture.

1 hr 50 minMediumNo chilli

Sinigang

A sour Filipino soup — tamarind, tomato, radish, greens, and pork or fish. The sour is the point.

1 hr 5 minEasyNo chilli

Kare-kare

A peanut stew, usually oxtail — thick, yellow-orange, and unfinished without bagoong on the side.

3 hr 25 minA bit of workNo chilli

Tinola

Ginger chicken soup with green papaya or chayote — the get-well pot that is also Tuesday dinner.

55 minEasyNo chilli

Drunken noodles (pad kee mao)

Drunken noodles

Drunken noodles (pad kee mao) from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

13 minMedium🌶️

Massaman Beef curry

Massaman Beef curry from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

2 hr 16 minA bit of work🌶️

Panang chicken curry (kaeng panang gai)

Panang chicken curry

Panang chicken curry (kaeng panang gai) from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

20 minA bit of work🌶️

Prawn & noodle salad with crispy shallots

Prawn & noodle salad with crispy shallots from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

13 minA bit of work🌶️

Prawn stir-fry

Prawn stir-fry from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

14 minA bit of work🌶️

Salt & pepper squid

Salt & pepper squid from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

12 minA bit of work🌶️

Thai green chicken soup

Thai green chicken soup from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

31 minA bit of workNo chilli

Thai Green Curry

Thai Green Curry from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

36 minMediumNo chilli

Tom kha gai

Tom kha gai from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

33 minA bit of work🌶️

Tom yum soup with prawns

Tom yum soup with prawns from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

35 minA bit of work🌶️

Vietnamese caramel trout

Vietnamese caramel trout from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

15 minMedium🌶️

Vietnamese Grilled Pork (bun-thit-nuong)

Grilled Pork

Vietnamese Grilled Pork (bun-thit-nuong) from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

9 hr 35 minA bit of workNo chilli

Vietnamese pork salad

Vietnamese pork salad from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

22 minA bit of work🌶️

Vietnamese veg parcels

Vietnamese veg parcels from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

24 hr 10 minA bit of work🌶️

Vietnamese-style caramel pork

Vietnamese-style caramel pork from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

20 minMedium🌶️

Beef pho

Beef pho from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 3 minA bit of work🌶️

Thai fried rice with prawns & peas

Thai fried rice with prawns & peas from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

14 minMedium🌶️

Thai-style fish broth with greens

Thai-style fish broth with greens from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

20 minMediumNo chilli

Vietnamese chicken salad

Vietnamese chicken salad from Vietnam. Times are typical for this kind of dish.

40 minA bit of work🌶️

Vietnamese prawn spiralized rolls

Vietnamese prawn spiralized rolls from Vietnam. Times are typical for this kind of dish.

20 minMedium🌶️

Purple sprouting broccoli tempura with nuoc cham

Purple sprouting broccoli tempura with nuoc cham from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

13 minMedium🌶️

Laksa King Prawn Noodles

Laksa King Prawn Noodles from Malaysia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

19 minMedium🌶️

Tom yum (hot & sour) soup with prawns

Tom yum (hot & sour) soup with prawns from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

12 minMedium🌶️

Steak & Vietnamese noodle salad

Steak & Vietnamese noodle salad from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

18 minA bit of work🌶️

Thai rice noodle salad

Thai rice noodle salad from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

34 minA bit of work🌶️

Vietnamese lamb shanks with sweet potatoes

Vietnamese lamb shanks with sweet potatoes from Vietnam. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 11 minA bit of work🌶️

Stir-fried chicken with chillies & basil

Stir-fried chicken with chillies & basil from Thailand. Times were inferred from the source steps.

33 minMedium🌶️

Prahok Ktis – Pork and Coconut Dip

Prahok Ktis – Pork and Coconut Dip from Cambodia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

54 minA bit of work🌶️

Amok Trey – Cambodian Fish Curry

Amok Trey – Cambodian Fish Curry from Cambodia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

59 minMediumNo chilli

Meang Nem

Rinse the rice, soak in water for about 10 minutes, then drain well. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Add the rice and stir constantly until evenly dark golden brown and very fragrant, about 5 minutes. Trans

58 minA bit of work🌶️

Nom Banh Chok – Cambodian Noodle Soup

Nom Banh Chok – Cambodian Noodle Soup from Cambodia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 1 minMedium🌶️

Samlar Kari – Khmer Red Curry

Samlar Kari – Khmer Red Curry from Cambodia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

56 minA bit of workNo chilli

Cambodian Stir-fried Morning Glory with Pork, Fermented Soybeans, and Garlic

Cambodian Stir-fried Morning Glory with Pork, Fermented Soybeans, and Garlic from Cambodia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

16 minMedium🌶️

Khmer Banh Xeo – Cambodian Savory Pancake

Khmer Banh Xeo – Cambodian Savory Pancake from Cambodia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

36 minMediumNo chilli

Samlar Machu Kreung – Cambodian Sour Stew

Samlar Machu Kreung – Cambodian Sour Stew from Cambodia. Times were inferred from the source steps.

1 hr 8 minA bit of work🌶️

Lao Naem Khao

Lao Naem Khao from Laos. Times are typical for this kind of dish.

35 minA bit of workNo chilli