The Fish Sauce Cookbook: 50 Umami-Packed Recipes from Around the Globe

by Veronica Meewes

Acclaimed chefs find innovative uses for this classic Asian staple—with fifty recipes ranging from meat and pasta dishes to cocktails and desserts.Long used as a key umami flavor in Asian cooking, fish sauce is becoming a ubiquitous ingredient with prominent chefs finding new and unexpected ways to add it to their dishes. In The Fish Sauce Cookbook, readers will discover the origins of fish sauce, compare different brands and varieties, and learn about proper care and storage of this magical briny sauce.Starting with the formula for making homemade fish sauce, author Veronica Meewes dives into a wide variety of fare, from slow-roasted meats and classic Italian pasta dishes to craft cocktails, salad dressings, and even desserts. Renowned chefs and food personalities from around the globe share original recipes, such as Shrimp Toast with Nuom Choc from Kevin Luzande Acabar; Spiced Lacquered Duck Breasts from Andrew Zimmerman; Crispy Farmer’s Market Vegetables with Caramelized Fish Sauce from Chris Shepherd; Caramel Miso Glaze from Monica Pope; and Hamachi Tostadas with Fish Sauce Vinaigrette from Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction

217 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 28, 2015

Reviews

[Laurla2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

-3 stars.

other countries have their own version of fish sauce:
vietnam - nuoc mam
thailand -nam pla
japan - shottsuru
korea - aekjeot
philippines - patis
cambodia - prahoc
rome - garum
italy - colatura di alici

-nuoc cham - general dipping sauce or condiment
-nuoc mam - pure fish sauce or dipping sauce
-nuoc mam pha - fish sauce mixed with other ingredients intended for dipping
-nuoc mam nguyen chat - fish sauce straight from bottle

phu quoc island - where the best fish sauce comes from. viet huong (3 crabs) fish sauce.

this book's recipes were heavy on peppers, chilis, hot sauce, etc. 35 of the 50 recipes had some form or other in it, some even had multiple peppers in them. hell, even the apple fritters had a thai chile. as someone who cannot tolerate any form of hot spicy heat on my tongue, this was disappointing. oh and lots of cilantro in the recipes too (yuck, soap).

-suggested uses - add to spaghetti sauce, pulled pork

--recipes that looked interesting:
-fish sauce bearnaise
-ginger lime vinaigrette and slaw
-vietnamese meatballs
-crispy farmers market vegetables with caramelized fish sauce
-warm brussels sprout slaw with asian citrus dressing
-skillet greens, crisp shallots, nuoc mam apple cider gastrique
-marinated grilled short rib with anchovy salad, green tomato jam, and sweet potato puree
-halibut with browned butter, lemon, aged fish sauce, and wheat berries

[Kbg503 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably won't use it in a beverage or dessert. Still learning the basics about this ingredient and at least I have a better idea on how to use the two brands of fish sauce in the cabinet.

[Lara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overview: A cookbook highlighting the wide range of possibilities for cooking with fish sauce, which is currently popular in restaurants around the US. Recipes are contributed by chefs

Contents: There is a short introduction about fish sauce, how to buy it (focused on Vietnamese brands), store it, and how to make it yourself at home (including a vegan version). Then we get into the recipes, which are from a variety of chefs throughout the US, many of whom are famous. The end of the book includes biographies of the contributors and an index of recipes, ingredients, and contributors. The recipes are divided up into 9 sections, from sauces to cocktails and even desserts. Most recipes have a photo, but not all. There is no list of sources to find less common items.

Recipes: Each recipe is by a different chef and includes a short introduction.

Thai Hot and Sour Coconut Chicken Soup: While there are a number of ingredients, it is a simple recipe to make, and has an authentic flavor (I think). It was delicious and my husband went back for seconds, praising it as really good.

Techniques: There are a wide range of techniques use in the book, from braising to deep frying to candying fruit. Since these are chef-contributed recipes, many are complex, with multiple ingredient lists for different parts of the recipe. For instance, there is an ice cream sundae recipe that requires preparation of several components the day before the ice cream is made.

Summary: A fun book for the adventurous cook. Many of the recipes sound wonderful, but require dedication in terms of time, techniques or special ingredient shopping. There are many Asian-Southern fusion recipes, but also recipes that are inspired by other parts of the world.

I received a copy for review through NetGalley.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

My parents immigrated to America from the Philippines, so I grew up on fish sauce. This book was so fun to read. I had no idea you could use fish sauce in so many other non-Asian recipes like pasta and desserts. I especially loved reading about the chefs who contributed the recipes and the stories and how they were inspired to create the recipes. The photos are visually stunning, too.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Polly Krize · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Previous to reading this cookbook, I had found fish sauce to be a daunting ingredient to use, or only sparingly, if at all. Compiled with many recipes from chefs around the world make this book a handy reference. Not too sure about using fish sauce in desserts, but you never know.

[Sonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really impressed by the desserts and cocktails section. I now see fish sauce with different eyes and it was good to know things like: how to choose a fish sauce. A must for any food lover!