# Fish sauce **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 25, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fish-sauce/349891 "2006-03-25T22:08:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fish-sauce/349891/21 "2006-03-26T16:12:02Z")
[QUOTE=Basandre] I have recently added a bottle of fish sauce to my cabinet o’ ingredients. I bought it because I keep coming across it in Asian recipes that I want to try. I understand it’s not one of those ingredients that can be left out or substituted for easily, as it’s got a strong taste. I plan to try [this](http://soup.allrecipes.com/az/76164.asp) soup recipe, and [this](http://www.thaitable.com/Thai/recipes/Laab.htm) dish. Does anyone have any other suggestions for dishes I can make that use fish sauce? I don’t have access to a lot of other Asian-specific ingredients - the fish sauce came back with me from a trip to the nearest large city, which is a trip I don’t make often. [/QUOTE] I made a peppercorn garlic pork dish yesterday that was pretty kick ass and doesn’t require alot of fancy ingredients. This is how I made it (courtesy of Victor Sodsook): 2 porkchops cut into medallions (the recipe called for pork tenderloin, but I didn’t have any) 8 garlic cloves minced 2 teaspoons of coarse black pepper Cook the garlic and pepper for about a minute in a heated wok at medium heat. Then turn up to high and add the pork and fry for 30 seconds Add 1/4 cup sweet dark soy (I used regular soy and planned to add molasses, but alas, we were out so I used liquid honey) add 1/4 cup fish sause cook for 1.5 minutes and serve over rice. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fish-sauce/349891/22 "2006-03-26T16:15:01Z")
minor correction, don’t let the garlic burn in the first step. if that only takes 10 seconds then that is all it takes. This recipe cooks fast so have everything ready before you start. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fish-sauce/349891/23 "2006-03-26T16:22:20Z")
[QUOTE=Athena] Hmmm… I was under the impression that fish sauce was one of those things that took months to make and required a lot of special equipment. [/QUOTE] This article has a recipe for a (non-fermented) fish sauce, with links to more recipes: [Fish sauce - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish_sauce) Can’t find a cite, but I read once that soy sauce was invented by Buddhists to provide a vegetarian alternative to the ubiquitous fish sauce. Worcestershire sauce could be considered a form of fish sauce, since it is made with anchovies. [Worcestershire sauce - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worcestershire_sauce) The Romans used a fish sauce called _garum._ See this old thread: [What was Roman fish sauce (garum) like? - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=269975) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fish-sauce/349891.md?page=1)