What is Vietnamese Nước Mắm or Nước Chấm?
Nước Mắm (Vietnamese Fish Sauce) is made of anchovies, sea salt, and water, whereas hoisin is a thick sauce made from fermented soybean paste, sugar, garlic, and more. Nuoc Mam is the main ingredient for most of Vietnamese Cooking Recipe, especially when making Nước Chấm (Dipping Sauce / Nuoc Cham) for many dishes used widely in Vietnam as meat, vegetable, spring rolls or summer roll dipping sauce or vermicelli noodle.
Origin of Vietnamese Fish Sauce:
The origin of Nuoc Mam in Vietnam dates back to ancient times as a primary source of protein. Early fishing boats were unable to venture into the deep ocean to catch larger fish for more fish meat. Instead, they mostly stayed close to the shore and net small fish. Later on, people found that. They could produce a richer protein sauce by layering these small fish in barrels with sea salt. Since then, there appeared such a delicious sauce!
Ingredients and Recipe of Fish Sauce:
Only the fresh small anchovies fish makes good-quality nuoc cham, which is found in clear color and good smell. In Vietnam, Nuoc Cham is very popular and can be any of various mixtures based on the liquid of salted, fermented fish. First, small fish and salt are put in wooden boxes to ferment. Then, it is slowly pressed so as to yield the salty, fishy liquid.
This extremely pungent, strong-flavored and salty liquid can range in color. For the pure fish sauce, locals select fresh anchovy fish. And mix with salt by applying the unique Vietnamese traditional process. Fermentation starts once a year, during the fishing season. After about 3 months in the barrel. The liquid drips from an open spigot, then people pour back into the top of the barrel. Six months under the sunlight will make the Nuoc Cham of much better smell.
Unique Characteristic of Fish Sauce:
The unique characteristic of Vietnamese Nuoc Cham is salty flavor and fishy smell. An interesting characteristic of fish sauce is that it loses its fishy odor once mixed with other ingredients. It is commonly for cooking and dipping seafood and many other Vietnamese Foods as well. In Vietnam, peeple call nước mắm. Nuoc Cham is famous with these brand names: Nước Mắm in Nha Trang, Phu Quoc, and Phan Thiet.
Where to Buy Vietnamese Nuoc Mam – Fish Sauce?
You can now buy the sauce in every Grocery Store, Convenience Shops and Supper Market through out the country. From Hanoi, Sapa, Halong Bay, Hue, Hoi An, Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City. You can also order the sauce online to get delivery to your home easily from anywhere.
