Korean fish sauce

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    • #50644
      Shian
      Member

      Hey guys! I just bought a huge bottle (they ran out of small bottles) of Korean fish sauce for kimchi making and am eager to start making my kimchi. However, my worry is that the kimchi I made is only for 2-3 people and I’m afraid I can’t finish using the whole big bottle of fish sauce. Is there any other dishes which can use the Korean fish sauce on? (The one i got is much pungent and saltier than Thai fish sauce.)

    • #55454
      bigoledude
      Participant

      I just did a Google search with “recipes with fish sauce” and got many links to great recipes. Here in SE Louisiana, we eat alot of rice with our seafood. Things like gumbo, jambalaya and etouffes. Whenever I make rice for eating with seafood, I add fish sauce to the water and rice while cooking. I treat fish sauce as though I were adding “essence of fish” into dishes.

    • #55455
      unchienne
      Participant

      You can utilize the fish sauce as a salt component. To me, it’s not really “fishy” and more salty with lots of umami. Maangchi uses it in her cold cucumber soup recipe, and despite the ingredients being rather bland (in a good way), I can’t detect any real fish flavor when I add the stuff to it. Rather, it’s just a good savory taste. I’ve put it in kimchi, soups, and even chicken dishes.

      On a side note, my favorite brand (mellow and very flavorful) is the Three Crab brand. Can’t say enough about it. I finally made a really good batch of kimchi, and I totally give all the credit to this sauce.

    • #55456
      Shian
      Member

      Hi bigoledude, here in SE asia we LOVE seafood too! and we only know about adding chicken broth / coconut milk to rice! I will definitely try adding it to rice next time! Thank you so much for the suggestion! :D

      Hi unchienne, I find it strange that after I put the fish sauce in the fridge, the smell is not that overpowering anymore. and since my last brush with fish sauce was two years ago (when my first attempt of kimchi failed terribly and i didnt have the courage to try until recently) i tasted the fish sauce and it was way too salty! I substitute soy sauce with fish sauce for my kimchi stew just now and it really add a whole new taste to it! and true to your words, no fishy taste! pretty amazing and definitely delicious! thank you so much for your advise! :D

    • #55457
      Vibey
      Participant

      I agree with Unchienne about it being a salty, umami seasoning rather than a fishy one. You can add it to all kinds of things and no one would ever suspect the savoury flavour is from fish sauce.

      Many years ago a friend gave me a recipe for a tomato red lentil dhal that was seasoned with fish sauce, and I haven’t seasoned dhal with salt since! (Well, maybe a couple of times when I’ve been catering for vegetarians.) It brings out earthy flavours so well.

    • #55458
      Vibey
      Participant

      By the way, the first recipe I ever saw of Maangchi’s (which I tried straight away and got me addicted!) is a really good example of using fish sauce as a seasoning without fishy taste. It goes spectacularly well with eggs. Give it a go, it’s delicious and so quick and easy! https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/ttukbaegi-gyeranjjim

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