Fish sauce facts for kids

A drop of fish sauce

Fish sauce is an Asian cooking ingredient. It is made from fish or krill which has been coated in salt and then fermented for up to two years. It is used as a seasoning in quite a lot of Asian dishes, particularly those from Burma, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Fish sauce is used by chefs to add the umami flavor to dishes. Soy sauce is sometimes considered a vegetarian alternative to fish sauce.

In French and international cuisine the corresponding term is fish stock. That is made differently and tastes different.

Images for kids

Fish sauce fermentation containers in Phú Quốc, Vietnam
Cambodian sweet fish sauce mixed with chopped chili peppers and slices of garlic
Ruins of a Roman garum factory near Tarifa, Spain
Ancient Roman garum factory in Portugal
Two amphoras for garum
Traditional burnay jars containing fermenting bagoong in Ilocos Norte
Commercial patis sold in the Philippines
Dipping sauce made from patis with siling haba peppers
Nam pla phrik ("fish sauce with chili") is served with some Thai meals
Prepared fish sauces in Thailand
Fishing boats in Phú Quốc, where the most prized fish sauce is made
A fish sauce factory in Phú Quốc
Nước mắm
Nước chấm
Japanese Fish sauce, Shottsuru and Ishiru'
Myeolchi-aekjeot (anchovy sauce)
Eo-ganjang of Jeju Island