Enrich Your Summer Dishes with the Savoury Depth of Fish Sauce

Southeast Asian weather is hot and tropical year-round, so it’s no surprise that their wide range of flavourful delicacies are perfect for the summer! Among the key ingredients to cook up these refreshing, tantalising delights is the marvellous fish sauce.

Made from anchovies, salt and sugar, the gluten-free fish sauce has enriched Asian cooking for over 2,000 years, providing a bold savoury flavour that’s versatile for stir-fries, curries, barbecue marinades, salad dressings, dipping sauces and more. Come explore into the illustrious legacy of fish sauce in our feature article!

How to Use Fish Sauce

Fish sauce is much more potent than salt and soy sauce, so a dash of it is usually enough for most recipes. Fish sauce is also best used with aromatic herbs and spices to accentuate the natural tastes of meat and seafood, as well as to compliment sour, spicy and sweet flavours, creating layers of delicious complexity. For summer dishes like salads and barbecues, fish sauce adds a refreshing, fragrant and appetizing allure.

Ready to try out fish sauce to flavour your summer specials? Here are 6 Southeast Asian treats to get you started!

Grilled Beef in Betel Leaf

The heart-shaped betel leaf has a rich peppery aroma, mild bitter note and tender, chewy texture. Commonly used to wrap grilled meats in Southeast Asian cuisines, like this yummy Vietnamese special. The betel leaves imbue their unique flavour into the beef mince. Flavoured with garlic, shallots, lemongrass, curry powder and fish sauce, resulting in a richly fragrant, refreshing and savoury bite. Whip it up with our easy recipe!

Fish Sauce Glazed Chicken Wings

Fish sauce with brown sugar, honey, fresh lime juice, light soy sauce and garlic make the marinade and glaze of this irresistible air-fryer chicken wings treat. Crispy, tender and umami with a rich, sweet, savoury taste. Best enjoyed with a simple dipping sauce of fresh lime juice, mayo and hot sauce! Get the recipe here.

Grilled Yellow Curry Steak Skewers with Fish Sauce

Marinated with fish sauce, lime juice, lemongrass, black pepper, brown sugar and Thai Yellow Curry Paste, smoothened with coconut cream – these tantalizing grilled steak skewers give a tender bite with a wondrous savoury taste and refreshing spicy tang. Garnished with fragrant mint leaves and cilantro, and served with a tasty dipping sauce blend that’s also enriched with fish sauce!

Green Mango & Papaya Salad

Green mango and green papaya have bracing sour flavours. Marvellous to enhance the refreshing, juicy tiger prawns in this classic Thai salad with tomato, carrot, toasted peanuts, cilantro and minty Thai basil leaves. Made savoury-sweet, tangy and spicy with fish sauce, garlic, palm sugar, lime juice and bird’s eye chilli. Absolutely invigorating and delish! Grab the full recipe here.

Thai Minced Pork Salad

A traditional Northern Thai favourite, the Larb Moo or minced pork salad packs a savoury, sour and spicy punch. Made fragrant and refreshing with lemongrass, lime leaves, mint leaves, coriander leaves, spring onion and red onion. Seasoned with fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and chilli flakes. Scrumptious, invigorating and sensational! Come learn how to make the fabulous Larb Moo with Chef Mod!

Thai Beef Salad

Thai-style salad is awesome with steak as well! In this hearty, delicious recipe, the beef is first seasoned with lemongrass and salt, seared medium rare, then let cool and enriched with a combo of fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and dried chillies. Tossed with toasted rice, cucumber and cherry tomatoes. Boldly savoury and spicy tempered with sweet sour oomph! Check out the super-easy recipe here.

About Squid Brand Fish Sauce

Squid Brand Premium Fish Sauce is the best quality first-press extra-virgin fish sauce that we proudly recommend. With no MSG and no added preservatives. All-natural vibrant amber colour and pure savoury flavour. Suitable as a salt replacement for all kinds of dishes!

Grab a bottle of Squid Brand Premium Fish Sauce from your local supermarket, and check out more umami delights you can make with it!