Combining Methods

Each of the methods for flavoring and thickening fish sauces has certain disadvantages. Cream and butter sauces are rich and expensive to prepare, egg yolk–thickened sauces sometimes have an eggy taste or a chalky texture, and flour-thickened sauces often taste starchy. Modern versions, if made with too much of certain hydrocolloids or emulsifiers, can have a slimy or mucilaginous finish. To avoid this, start by adding small amounts of these substances—even a little less than called for in the recipe—and building up, tasting all the while. It is also very helpful to combine different thickeners and emulsifiers so that no particular one dominates. You may want to include traditional thickeners such as cream, egg yolks, and butter in at least small amounts so that they lend their natural characteristics to the sauce.