Nuoc mam question

Cad

I sometimes use NM to enhance flavor in some of my dishes. I would not use it to totally replace either the soy or the worchestersire. Go slow, a little of this stuff goes a long ways. The flavor will actually get a little stronger as it reduces in sauces. Hope this helps.

BG

I use nuoc mam a lot. It is great cut with cider vinegar and spices. beef, pork and chicken are great marinated in nuoc mam based sauces. It is a picky flavor though, some people hate it and the smell of it. My wife would be one of the latter. She yells at me when she smells it, but I slip it into a lot of stuff that she always loves.

The real Saigon nuoc mam sauce recipe is the best, the hotter the better.

Umm, what is "nuoc mam?"

Wheelz,

If this doesn't turn you off SMELLY ,try some. It really does add great flavor if you can get past the smell when you open the bottle.

People in the know say Five Crab Brand is one of the best. I found it at an average sized Asian market. It will be clear and amber in color. If it turns dark in after time, best to get rid of it as the taste will be off.

BG

Wheelz:

Nuoc mam is viet for fish sauce. I understand they fill a barrel with raw fish heads rolled in salt. The salt draws the liquids and plasmas from the fish tissue and it all drips out the bottom in a stinking viscous stream. They bottle it and we eat it. It is great. This is the equivalent of soy sauce. Go to any asian market, look for a vietnamese origin brand. I wholly agree with the 3 and 5 crabs brands being excellent. \

The Saigon nuoc mam sauce uses fish sauce, lime juice, mashed garlic, mashed hot chilis, sugar and water. Let it stand for a day and then drink with abandon. Hope this helps. My wife won't let me in the house when I eat nuoc mam.

"This is the equivalent of soy sauce"

Welllllllll, that's stretching it a bit, one being a plant the other a dead fish.

But, anyhow, my brothers were over there. Talked about that fish sauce. Said it was made in the toe of an old sock.

But, it might be good anyhow........
In Mexico, the used to put salamanders in the tacos.

Think I'll stick to good ol' American BBQ, thank you! Bout' lost lunch reading Lang Price's post

I just hope price is kiddding round,,,sheesh,,,glad I never tried any if he aint.

YUKKKK! Was there, seen, smelled and tracked it, will never eat it!

You guys are wimps. Just try it! Honest!

LP

Sticks & stones may break my bones but raw fish heads rolled in salt with plasma dripping from the bottom of the barrel will never hurt me - cause I ain't gonna eat it!

Amen, spent a year in nuoc mam land. Tried it once on the advice of a Master Chief, never ever again!

I'm with Lang. Love the stuff and it's Thai cousin - Nam Pla. Use it stand alone or with added hot chile peppers for a condiment. Also use it a lot in sauces, marinades, etc.

Everything that you always wanted to know about Nuoc mam can be found here

Add me to the list. I love the stuff. My Phillipino sister-in-law uses in her stir fried rice, lumpias, and just about everything else. And EVERYTHING she cooks is fabulous.

That said, try not to smell the stuff before you cook with it. It's scary. But somehow the end result of whatever its cooked with always comes up yummy.

I haven't tried it yet in jerky yet, but it sounds like it would be a great combination.

You guys probaley like KIM Che too?

Yep. Love kimchi. Even make my own every now and then when the spirit moves me. Great stuff.

do you make it like they do in korea? clay crock, cabbage in the sun to ferment?

No, I'm not that extreme. Once I determine what type of kimchi I want to make (There are 1,000s of different types), I mix the ingredients in a large nonreactive bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or put the mix in a large ziplock bag. Let it ferment at room temp 3-5 days then refrigerate in mason jars for up to a couple of weeks. The longer it sits, the stronger it gets.