This intensely flavored sauce adds that sought after fish-like or unami flavor that is so desirable in many Asian-style dishes.
Chef's notes
For a thinner and slightly more fishy-fishless fish sauce, this recipe for Fish-Less Fish Sauce is also really good. Besides the ingredients used, the other difference is that this fish-less sauce is cooked and it does not keep quite as long as the one made with the fermented beans.
Steps
1
Making the Fish-Less Fish Sauce
Ingredients
1/3 cup tamari or soy sauce
1/2 cup vegetarian flavored oyster sauce (a.k.a. mushroom-oyster sauce)*
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup fermented black beans, made into a paste
2 tbsp Shinshu miso (yellow miso)
Blend everything together and store in a sealable jar. This sauce will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.
*Note: The vegetarian oyster sauce can be omitted, if desired — which of course will lead to a thinner sauce.
Substitute 1:1 for regular fish sauce, or to taste. Just note that this sauce is darker then a "typical" fish sauce, which will affect the color of whatever you are making.
