Fish Sauce

Fish sauce has been used in southern China for a long time but has recently experienced renewed popularity with the influx of Vietnamese immigrants who came to Hong Kong in the mid-1970s and ’80s. It is also known as fish gravy or nam pla, a thin brownish sauce made from the fermentation of salted fresh fish. Fish sauce is sold bottled and has a very fishy odour and salty taste. Cooking greatly diminishes the ‘fishy’ taste and the sauce adds a special flavour. Fish sauce can be bought at many Chinese food shops; it adds a special richness to dishes.