One of the many great things about Malaysian cuisine is its extensive use of fish sauce, which literally translates to ‘fish gravy’ in English. In most cases, restaurants will dish out a small portion of this pungent, garlicky sauce to accompany your meal. You’ll also find it in abundance at most Malaysian households, where it’s used not just as a condiment for food but as a way of savouring all kinds of dishes. Now that you’re taking a trip to Malaysia, you’ll most certainly encounter this vibrant ingredient, but how much should you actually use? Let’s take a closer look!
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The Best Way To Use It
While fish sauce is incredibly versatile, it should not be substituted for other ingredients. When combined with chilli, soy and vinegar, for example, it makes a mouthwatering, tangy dip that will become your new favourite. Aioli, mayonnaise and Caesar salad all owe their existence to this quintessential Malaysian ingredient. When used in curries and other Indian-influenced dishes, it will add a lovely garlicky flavour without overwhelming the overall experience. Most importantly, avoid using it in lieu of salt when preparing food – you’ll end up with a very bland, lifeless meal. (Not that we wish to preach!)
As for how much you should use, that really depends on what you’re cooking and how much you like it, a little goes a long way. If you feel that the flavour of the sauce is a bit lacking, then adding another tablespoon or two will help. But if you’re making a large amount of food and would like something a little more subtle, then perhaps less is more, especially if you’re cooking for people you’re meeting for the first time. A good rule would be to add it at the end of cooking, when the food is just ready. This way, it will have the opportunity to mix with the other ingredients and become more flavourful.
The Unusual Ways It Can Be Used
Fish sauce’s versatility is second to none, but it doesn’t seem to be used in quite the same way in other countries. When it comes to Thai cuisine, for example, most homes will keep it in the fridge, where it will stay for up to a year, and use it to make noodles and rice dishes more flavourful. In Indonesia, it’s commonly used to make savoury pancakes. In the United Kingdom, it’s a popular choice to add a touch of salt to a dish, especially when cooking meat. But elsewhere, it’s more of a pantry ingredient, used to add a little bit of spice to stews and curried dishes. So, while Malaysia is certainly known for its love for fish sauce, you should use it in a way that is uniquely suited to your taste buds!
Whatever the purpose, whenever you add it, and however you decide to use it, never forget about its versatility! A simple pinch will go a long way, and it will happily travel with you to any part of the world for which you have a recipe. (Who knows – it just might!)
How Do I Store It?
Like most other spices and herbs, fish sauce is very perishable. This means that, over time, its flavour will begin to fade. To preserve it for as long as possible, store it in a cool, dark, dry place and use it as soon as possible. After you use it, store it in the fridge for up to a year. But remember, spices and herbs lose their flavour when stored for too long, so you’ll need to use your best judgement and ensure that you don’t waste any!
When Should I Eat It?
Like most other ingredients with an expiration date, fish sauce does best when eaten as soon as possible after you prepare it. The flavour will deteriorate rapidly once removed from the fridge, so you’ll need to use it immediately. If you’ve got any left over, then great! But if it’s been a while since you last used it, then you might want to replace it with some freshly minced garlic, lemon or lime juice, or a combination of the three.
At the end of the day, no one is perfect, and we all have our individual preferences. So, in the absence of a perfect answer, we’d say do what you feel is right and what makes you happy! You may not always like what you hear in the media, but that’s their opinion, not necessarily fact, and they’re not here to tell you how to live your life.