The Umami-Rich Pantry Ingredient That Will Instantly Improve Your Cooking (It’s Not MSG)

Fish sauce may not the most appealing aroma, but there’s a reason why the Southeast Asian liquid seasoning is a staple in pantries around the world. Fish sauce is a key ingredient in countless Thai, Vietnamese, and Indonesian preparations; like soy sauce and its fellow anchovy-based sauce, Worcestershire, the condiment is packed with glutamates, an organic compound that makes food taste incredibly savory and umami-rich. A few drops of fish sauce is all you need to instantly transform your meal into something much more complex-tasting, and is why so many of our editors reach for it when they need to add savory oomph to their cooking. Here’s a look at some of our favorite applications.

Memorable Marinades

Whether you’re grilling seafood, sautéing vegetables, or stir-frying steak, a fish sauce–spiked marinade can deliver a funky, umami-rich intensity to your favorite foods. Combined with chili, it adds savoriness and heat to grilled chicken wings. Tossed with shallots, lemongrass, garlic, sugar, and pepper, a splash of fish sauce flavors these enjoyable Vietnamese pork chops. Fish sauce seasons our exceptionally juicy shell-on grilled shrimp, adds nuance to Thai-style beef with basil and chiles, and completes a quick, spicy stir-fried beef. But fish sauce doesn’t have to be limited to Asian preparations—it’s a great foil for nutty-sweet Brussels sprouts, both roasted and deep-fried, and even makes its way into our recipe for carne asada.

If you’re using it to marinate, I strongly recommend reserving the liquid and simmering it (to prevent any food-borne illnesses from the raw meat or seafood that’s been soaking in it) to make a phenomenal sauce. Use it to top whatever you’ve been marinating, or just hold on to it for the next time you’re serving steak, chicken, or really anything that might benefit from a bright, assertive dressing.

Nuanced Sauces

Fish sauce works wonders in more than just repurposed marinades, though. It’s the secret ingredient in some of our favorite Italian sauces, like this slow-cooked Italian-American tomato sauce and Bolognese sauce. A combination of fish sauce and soy sauce adds savory depth to the gravy in our homemade poutine, while a mixture of mayonnaise, fish sauce, and chili sauce coats this twist on grilled corn.

Fish sauce also makes quick work of any dipping sauce. Sample it in a traditional Thai dip or make contributor Vy Tran’s delicious bún chả Hanoi, a northern Vietnamese dish with pork bathed in a fragrant sauce of water, sugar, and fish sauce served alongside rice noodles.

Complex Soups and Stews

A dash of fish sauce is an easy way to add meaty depth to soups and stews. Need ideas? Look no further than our chicken chile verde or spicy chorizo and pinto bean chili. Fish sauce also amplifies the savory richness of French onion soup and arroz caldo, a hearty Filipino-style chicken and rice soup.

Punchy Salad Dressings

For a bold salad, consider tossing marinated flank steak and fresh herbs with a punchy dressing of fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and chile. Other excellent salads with dressings that star fish sauce? Gỏi gà bắp cải (Vietnamese chicken and cabbage salad), laab moo Isan (Thai Isan-style minced pork salad), and sweet, tangy green papaya salad.

A finishing squeeze of fish sauce can bring flavor to fried rice without weighing things down. It helps our Fried Rice With Blistered Green Beans and Basil shine and highlights the briny sweetness of our fried rice with crab, made with fragrant jasmine rice and tossed with crisp cucumber, scallions, and a scrambled egg.

If, like me, you shy away from sweet cocktails and favor strong, spicy, savory drinks, consider adding a few drops of fish sauce to your next refreshment. I like it in my beer or, better yet, rounding out this Thai-inspired Bloody Mary in place of the more traditional Worcestershire sauce.

October 2016