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Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce
Posted by Janet or Emma
Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce May 25, 2013 07:20AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 518 |
I'm just on the last few days of a Travel Indo China culinary tour of Vietnam and Cambodia, which has been FANTASTIC. During this time I've fallen in love with Vietnamese fish sauce. Does anyone know where I can buy it in New Zealand? I vaguely thought about buying some in Vietnam, but you know how it is - ever increasing baggage weight.....
Thanks, Guys. I know I can count on you!
Thanks, Guys. I know I can count on you!
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce May 25, 2013 07:50AM |
Registered: 17 years ago Posts: 558 |
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce May 26, 2013 12:42PM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 2,481 |
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce May 26, 2013 01:14PM |
Admin Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 7,920 |
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce May 26, 2013 01:17PM |
Admin Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 7,920 |
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce May 26, 2013 01:55PM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 518 |
The Vietnamese fish sauce we had all over Vietnam was lighter in colour and smelled like Marmite!!! It was used in dipping sauces and in cooking. We did four cooking classes - one in Hanoi, one in Hoi An, one in Saigon, and one in Siem Reap, Cambodia. The trip was a culinary tour organised by Travel IndoChina. It was FABULOUS!
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce May 27, 2013 12:26AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 5,388 |
Janet and/or Emmma... did you find a variance from North to South in cooking? Sounds a fabulous tour, and Travel IndoChina have always had a good reputation.
I had to stock up on Fish Sauce yesterday at my local PnS, and it is Nuoc Mam (76% fish), made in Thailand. My previous bottle was also from Thailand but just labelled Fish Sauce - however looking at the label was only 70% fish content. So interestingly enough, they do vary
I had to stock up on Fish Sauce yesterday at my local PnS, and it is Nuoc Mam (76% fish), made in Thailand. My previous bottle was also from Thailand but just labelled Fish Sauce - however looking at the label was only 70% fish content. So interestingly enough, they do vary
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce May 27, 2013 10:20AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 518 |
Haha, Irene. Emma would have enjoyed it, I'm sure, but she had to move home and look after our cats!!!
We didn't notice a huge difference between North and South (I had expected to, as there is always talk about the French influence in the North). Even in the South they talked about the French influence. The food was not as spicy as I was expecting. I think we had one "hot" dish - maybe two. The flavours were very subtle, with extra chillis, ginger, etc and chilli sauce being added to taste. The dipping sauces were very similar, with slight changes. In addition to the classes, we did market tours and street food tours. All the food was delicious - well almost all of it. We tried the weird and wonderful, and some of that was a oncer - like the embryonic eggs, crickets, jellyfish (not soft at all). The one thing we drew the line at was the VERY large bugs/beetles in Cambodia. I loved the fresh fruit and the fresh fruit juices - not a drop of alcohol touched my lips, I was too busy getting stuck into the fruit juice.
We did get the message about the "best fish sauce" coming from a certain region, but at other places they talked about the cost being more important to restaurants (the expensive ones being $2 a bottle as opposed to about 50c!), and I didn't notice any difference in taste. Apparently the best one is Phi Quac Thuan Phat (from Nha Trang I think), but I'd be happy trying any Vietnamese fish sauce as it was delicious in the dipping sauces and didn't have that awful smell.
We didn't notice a huge difference between North and South (I had expected to, as there is always talk about the French influence in the North). Even in the South they talked about the French influence. The food was not as spicy as I was expecting. I think we had one "hot" dish - maybe two. The flavours were very subtle, with extra chillis, ginger, etc and chilli sauce being added to taste. The dipping sauces were very similar, with slight changes. In addition to the classes, we did market tours and street food tours. All the food was delicious - well almost all of it. We tried the weird and wonderful, and some of that was a oncer - like the embryonic eggs, crickets, jellyfish (not soft at all). The one thing we drew the line at was the VERY large bugs/beetles in Cambodia. I loved the fresh fruit and the fresh fruit juices - not a drop of alcohol touched my lips, I was too busy getting stuck into the fruit juice.
We did get the message about the "best fish sauce" coming from a certain region, but at other places they talked about the cost being more important to restaurants (the expensive ones being $2 a bottle as opposed to about 50c!), and I didn't notice any difference in taste. Apparently the best one is Phi Quac Thuan Phat (from Nha Trang I think), but I'd be happy trying any Vietnamese fish sauce as it was delicious in the dipping sauces and didn't have that awful smell.
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce May 31, 2013 12:04AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 518 |
We're still on the quest to find the fish sauce. We're travelling through Hawkes Bay, so tried the Asian shops here. One shop only had Thai, and the other one had Vietnamese "fish sauce for dipping", but it was about the consistency of tomato sauce and looked grey, like a mushroom sauce. The one I'm after is about the colour of golden syrup, but thin, like Thai fish sauce, and smells like marmite. If anyone spies it, please let me know. The (quite well informed, I thought) man I spoke to yesterday said he hadn't seen in in NZ(I showed him a photo of a bottle). Thanks, Janet
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce May 31, 2013 12:49AM |
Registered: 12 years ago Posts: 3,422 |
I can't understand why it is proving so difficult to find. In any Asian food market in Auckland there are several different brands of Vietnamese fish sauce, all claiming to be made in Phu Quoc (although I believe this claim is often made fraudulently) and all tasting much the same. The only variation is the amount of sugar in each brand. The fish sauces are usually shelved with the soy sauces, but in some foodmarkets the shelving system is a mystery and you need to search everywhere just in case.
Andrea Nguyen's site has a wealth of information about Vietnamese food including a couple of very interesting articles about fish sauce. [www.vietworldkitchen.com]
Andrea Nguyen's site has a wealth of information about Vietnamese food including a couple of very interesting articles about fish sauce. [www.vietworldkitchen.com]
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce May 31, 2013 03:38AM |
Admin Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 7,920 |
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce May 31, 2013 01:37PM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 518 |
Thanks TPANDAV. You've given me hope! I spied a Moore Wilsons in Masterton, and dived in there in the hope I might find some. No luck, but he recommended Davis Trading in Palmy. I've been online and looked at their catalogue. I can't find anything when searching for Vietnamese fish sauce, Phu Quoc, or the brand name I had in a photo. I'm starting to wonder if I'm looking and not seeing, or is it that Auckland is more cosmopolitan? Do any of the Auckland foodmarkets do on-line sales? Thanks for the link to the website. It was a very informative article on fish sauce - all I need now is to find it!!!
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce May 31, 2013 02:05PM |
Registered: 12 years ago Posts: 243 |
A a couple of months ago a commercial cook recommended the Golden Boy brand of fish sauce and also mentioned that this is one time when dearer is better. This fish sauce was used when making Muc Nhoi Thit (stuffed baby calamari) and also Beef Pho Noddle Soup (both delicious).
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2013 05:23AM by Godmother.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2013 05:23AM by Godmother.
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce May 31, 2013 02:15PM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 518 |
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce June 01, 2013 12:51AM |
Registered: 12 years ago Posts: 3,422 |
I searched Davis Trading for fish sauce and here is the result:
[www.davis.co.nz]
If this link doesn't work, do a search in the category "exotic ingredients".
It might be an idea to check Tai Ping Trading and Gum Sarn to see if they do mail order.
Godmother - I assume you mean Golden BOY, or is there in fact a brand called Golden Bay? Golden Boy brand is Thai.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2013 01:33AM by TPANDAV.
[www.davis.co.nz]
If this link doesn't work, do a search in the category "exotic ingredients".
It might be an idea to check Tai Ping Trading and Gum Sarn to see if they do mail order.
Godmother - I assume you mean Golden BOY, or is there in fact a brand called Golden Bay? Golden Boy brand is Thai.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2013 01:33AM by TPANDAV.
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce June 01, 2013 04:04AM |
Admin Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 7,920 |
Can someone tell me what the difference is between Thai fish sauce and Vietnamese fish sauce or is there none?
I asked at our Asian supermarket this morning and the woman helping me said "same same just different country". They had about 5 brands of fish sauce but none from Vietnam, all were Thai.
Are they different?
I bought my favourite - Golden Boy.
I asked at our Asian supermarket this morning and the woman helping me said "same same just different country". They had about 5 brands of fish sauce but none from Vietnam, all were Thai.
Are they different?
I bought my favourite - Golden Boy.
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce June 01, 2013 04:38AM |
Registered: 12 years ago Posts: 3,422 |
I don't think there's any difference worth worrying about. I've used lots of different kinds and apart from the sugar level they're all pretty much the same. I suppose if one conducted a formal tasting (not that I fancy one) differences might be perceptible, but in the context of a dish I don't think it matters. I have never tasted top level "first run" fish sauce straight from the barrel though; I imagine that would be quite special.
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce June 01, 2013 05:28AM |
Registered: 12 years ago Posts: 243 |
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce June 02, 2013 05:35AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 518 |
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce June 02, 2013 11:04AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 518 |
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce June 26, 2013 11:51AM |
Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 518 |
I have purchased a bottle of Golden Boy, made in Thailand. However, it is the lighter colour and marmitey smell. I'm wondering if the difference is that the smelly one is made of squid, the marmitey one of anchovies. It's not quite like the Vietnamese one, but close enough for me. Thanks for all your help.
Janet
Janet
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce June 02, 2017 01:47AM |
Admin Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 7,920 |
Having just had a few weeks in Vietnam I now understand what you were talking about Janet regarding the fish sauce.
I thought it was wonderful and so completely different to any fish sauce I have seen here. I brought 2 bottles home but am looking at them and wondering what I will do once I have used it up.
I went to a large Asian supermarket yesterday and studied their line up but nothing that I think will be as good.
You are right it is a light golden colour, almost an umami flavour (if that is possible), being a much rounded flavour than the usual fish sauce. It doesn't have a usual fish sauce odour.
It is completely different to any other fish sauce I have tried.
The brand I bought was Nam Ngu but the cooking class teacher we had in Hoi An recommends Viet Huong.
I realise this is an old discussion (I reopened it) but has anyone managed to find it here?
I thought it was wonderful and so completely different to any fish sauce I have seen here. I brought 2 bottles home but am looking at them and wondering what I will do once I have used it up.
I went to a large Asian supermarket yesterday and studied their line up but nothing that I think will be as good.
You are right it is a light golden colour, almost an umami flavour (if that is possible), being a much rounded flavour than the usual fish sauce. It doesn't have a usual fish sauce odour.
It is completely different to any other fish sauce I have tried.
The brand I bought was Nam Ngu but the cooking class teacher we had in Hoi An recommends Viet Huong.
I realise this is an old discussion (I reopened it) but has anyone managed to find it here?
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce June 02, 2017 02:52AM |
Registered: 12 years ago Posts: 3,422 |
I was recently given some Red Boat fish sauce (bought in Melbourne) and it is head and shoulders above anything else I have tasted, well worth the cost. It has a pure, sweet anchovy flavour similar to very expensive Spanish anchovies, and a long caramelly aftertaste. It is just lovely.
There was an importer of Red Boat (and Vietnamese coffee) who posted in this forum a while ago. I enquired on their web site abut Red Boat availability but didn't get any answer. It might be worth trying again.
There was an importer of Red Boat (and Vietnamese coffee) who posted in this forum a while ago. I enquired on their web site abut Red Boat availability but didn't get any answer. It might be worth trying again.
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce June 02, 2017 03:07AM |
Registered: 16 years ago Posts: 1,979 |
I just had a big whiff of my bottle of Megachef fish sauce, and it definitey has the marmite smell vs stinky fish, if that is what you are after. The label states 72% anchovy as the fish ingredient.
I haven't used it in a dipping sauce yet, so I can't compare with the other brand I used to get, I suspect, given the different smell, it would be quite a different beast though.
I haven't used it in a dipping sauce yet, so I can't compare with the other brand I used to get, I suspect, given the different smell, it would be quite a different beast though.
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce June 02, 2017 03:15AM |
Registered: 16 years ago Posts: 1,979 |
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce June 02, 2017 03:19AM |
Admin Registered: 18 years ago Posts: 7,920 |
I see you can buy Redboat fish sauce here - at a price....
Vietnamese Coffee and Red Boat Fish Sauce
Vietnamese Coffee and Red Boat Fish Sauce
Re: Where to find Vietnamese Fish Sauce June 02, 2017 03:24AM |
Registered: 12 years ago Posts: 3,422 |
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