[dropcap]As[/dropcap] my interest in food and cooking grows, I’m also trying to expand my knowledge on and experience with different ingredients. The diversity of Asian ingredients for example, is both mind-boggling and fascinating, and sometimes, I feel quite overwhelmed by the available selection when I walk into a large Asian supermarket. Asian sauces are some of my favourite ingredients to work with – along with spices and herbs. Packed full of deliciousness, sauces often add that essential element to a dish that gives it it’s distinctive/signature savoury/ambrosial character/personality.
Fish sauce and soy sauce are two ancient and popular concoctions that are often found in many Asian (and multi-cultured) kitchens across the world. These two sauces, although different in make up and essence, both possess an amalgam of key/mouth-watering flavours, including salty, savoury/umami and sweet. A splash of fish sauce and/or soy sauce, some chopped chilies and herbs, a dash of citrus/vinegar can create a simple yet magnificent dipping sauce/dressing that can suitably complement many dishes/meals.
Not so long ago, I didn’t take too much notice on the difference in flavours between the different brands of fish sauce and soy sauce. As much as I endeavour to not be a brand snob – for someone who wants to study food and cooking on a deeper level, I can’t help but not take note on the differences in these brands. 1
When it came to buying fish sauce and soy sauce, I used to base my decision purely on which brand was available and/or which brand was the cheapest. Not having been too fussy with the taste of my own home cooking, I was content with my choice of sauces. Recently though, besides the myriad of other interesting ingredients in an Asian supermarket, I’ve noticed these different brands and have decided to investigate them a little further to see if there’s anything to fuss about. 2
For this post, I’ve taste-tested and provided my humble opinion on one ‘ground preserved fish sauce’, two ‘fish sauces’, and three ‘light soy sauces’. I know that I’ve barely scratched the surface in tasting the different types of Asian sauces and the brands that make them, but these are my stepping stones. In my kitchen, fish sauce and light soy sauce are two of my favourite and regularly used sauces. Other sauces that I can’t live without are oyster sauce and chili sauce, and I plan to write a similar post for these on a later date.
It is true that different sauce brands make sauces that differ in taste, and these subtle differences can play a big part in recipes. However, without sounding like I’m preaching – at the end of the day, it’s not really about the brand but more about how you use the ingredient/sauce. I know many cooks, including my mum who can use humble/inexpensive ingredients and turn them into extraordinary creations. After saying that, let’s see how some of these sauces taste.
So dear readers, what are some of your favourite Asian sauces? Do you have a favourite brand of fish sauce or soy sauce, or doesn’t it really matter for you?
Phu Quoc – Mam Nem an lien dac biet – Ground Preserved Fish Sauce
Super/Wok Brand – Product of Thailand
‘For cooking or mixing with fish chilli paste, papaya salad (Somtam), and Northeastern style curry and soup’.
Ingredients: Pickled Gouramy Fish (Gouramy fish, Salt) 80%, Water 18%, Monosodium Glutamate (E621) 1.90%, Sodium Benzoate (E211) 0.10% Contain: Fish.
I can’t believe it but this is the closest thing that I could find at my local Asian supermarket to ‘padaek’ sauce. Although it doesn’t mention padaek or pla-ra on the label, my taste test proves that it does indeed taste very much like padaek as I remember/know it. The flavour of this ‘ground preserved fish sauce’ is sensational! It brought a flood of happy memories and taste bud satisfaction and I couldn’t stop tasting it. The flavour of the sauce is very delicious – extremely savoury/umami and addictive/moreish. The sauce is a dark/murky/thick/luscious blend. You can see in the photo of the sauce in the dish below, that there’s very fine ground sediments of fish particles in the sauce (no bones or meaty objects though). This only adds to the charm of the thickened, preserved fish sauce. The pungency of padaek/fermented fish sauce is evident in this sauce but it is not overpowering nor overbearing. I love the taste of this sauce so much and can’t wait to use it to make jeow and tum som with it. As you can tell from my excitement, I’ve not purchased commercial padaek before, and although this sauce is not as good as mum’s, it sure does taste like very good padaek (and would make a great option), and will add lovely dimension to my cooking/recipes.
Phu Quoc – Mam Nem an lien dac biet – Ground Preserved Fish Sauce
Notice the fine ground sediments of fish and the earthy thick colour of the fish sauce which are reminiscent of padaek sauce? And it tastes so good!
Squid Brand Fish Sauce
Manufactured By: Thai Fishsauce Factory (Squid Brand) Co., Ltd., Bangkok Thailand
This fish sauce is a classic and can often be found at many good Asian stores/supermarkets. It is affordable, comes in a few different sizes and tastes great. I grew up with this fish sauce, and I am very familiar with the flavour. The fish sauce is savoury, salty and strong. It is a rich sauce with a sharp flavour. The aroma is also strong and pungent. Because of the concentration/intensity of this sauce, you don’t need too much of it to flavour a dish/recipe. I love the bright green lid. When I was younger, I used to think that it was made out of squid because of its brand name and logo.
Squid Brand Fish Sauce
An intense flavour, colour and aroma. Delicious, strong, salty, savoury fish sauce taste.
Three Crabs Brand Fish Sauce
Product of Hong Kong.
First time I’ve used/tasted this fish sauce, and its markedly different to the Squid brand. As you can see the colour is lighter, and the flavour is also more subtle and refined. I found the taste to be flavoursome, sweet, delicate/smooth and delicious. It’s a nice difference to the Squid brand, perhaps just a different character/type of fish sauce. The aroma is also more subtle than the Squid brand.
Three Crabs Brand Fish Sauce
A lovely, clearer colouration compared to the Squid brand fish sauce.
Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce
Product of China
I’ve used Lee Kum Kee oyster sauces before but I believe this is the first time I’ve used their Premium Soy Sauce. I wanted to try a new good quality light soy sauce and asked the owner of the Asian supermarket to recommend one for me, and he said this one was the best. I enjoy using light soy sauce in stir-frys and also in dipping sauces, and this one is an excellent choice. The sauce is richly dark in colour and smells sweet, smooth and refined. The flavour is delicious, subtly sweet with an obvious soy taste. The appearance of the sauce is intense, thick yet smooth. It smells and tastes appetisingly sweet and complex. It is very flavourful and I can see and taste why it is popular and recommended.
Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce
Rich, dark sauce with complex, appetising flavours.
Maggi Cooking Sauce
Product of Thailand, Maggi Brand Soy Sauce, Packed by Nestle.
A delicious light Maggi brand soy sauce/cooking sauce. This sauce is also very flavourful with a good balance of subtle sweet light soy taste. Easy to use flavours, and the aroma of this sauce immediately reminds of sunny side up fried eggs for breakfast. This sauce is great as a seasoning sauce for stir fries and also to season congee, fried eggs, etc. Delicious, affordable and safe plastic bottle.
Maggi Cooking Sauce
For me, a delicious/palatable and classic tasting light soy/seasoning sauce.
Thin Soy Sauce – Healthy Boy Brand
Product of Thailand
First time I’ve tried this thin/light soy sauce also. This sauce is distinctly different to both the Lee Kum Kee Premium Soy Sauce and the Maggi cooking sauce above, although I can’t pinpoint exactly what that difference is. I think that perhaps, this sauce has a more pronounced salty and mildy bitter taste to it? It is still a delicious light/thin sauce and would make a great addition in stir-fries or to season dishes with. All of the three light soy sauces tastes delicious, with their own distinct differences/character, but I think that LKK is my favourite. It is the most flavoursome, appetising and smooth light soy sauce out of the three, although it is also the most expensive, although not by much.
Thin Soy Sauce – Healthy Boy Brand
Delicious and distinctive flavour with the colour of the sauce being the lightest out of the three soy sauces.
Notes:
- I am using the term brand to refer to the product by that brand as exemplified in this post. From my brief research, I noticed that a lot of these brands have just one product in either the fish sauce or soy sauce category, although some brands such as LKK have several variations of soy sauce on the market. Reference: http://au-nz.lkk.com/en/Products/ConsumerProduct/Soy%20Sauce. ↩
- Please note that there’s a huge variety of soy sauces available, and different countries/cuisines have a spectrum of types (and names) of soy sauces. The couple of soy sauce examples compared in this post are light soy sauces. I hope to compare other types of soy sauces, and other sauces (oyster sauce, chili sauce, etc.) in future posts. For more info on soy sauce, go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soy_sauce. ↩
Great post! I’m always on the lookout to try more brands of these delicious sauces. That first fish sauce particularly looks delicious, it looks thicker and more substantial somehow.
I use Kikkoman soy sauce and Ayam fish sauce usually but have been getting into Abundant Earth tamari lately.
Hi Emma,
Thank you. Yes, same here – as I delve more into learning about flavours, ingredients and recipes, I’m also interested in trying the different brands of food products out there. Like other consumer items, it’s interesting how different (and subtle) food brands can be from each other and how they market themselves. I have a background in marketing, so I find this stuff fascinating, especially the advertising/artwork side, although at the end of the day, I know that it should all be about the product. It’s a complex/competitive market out there, but I’m a consumer and I love trying new products too. Only one way to find out if the product is good or not.
The first ‘ground preserved fish sauce’ is amazing! Tastes very similar to padaek sauce; it’s intense, strong, pungent, refined, savoury/umami, and delicious (and different to typical fish sauce), but less potent to a homemade padaek, I think. I love the taste of both. The label says it’s for papaya salad/somtum, Northeastern style curry/soups, etc, and I can’t wait to try it in Lao recipes. From the Vietnamese writing on the label, I believe it’s very popular in Vietnamese cuisine too. Took me some nudging to buy this, and it’s not available at all ‘Asian’ food stores, so I’m not sure if you can find this brand/product near you, but just ask and look for the sauce colour/consistency through the glass bottle. ‘Pickled gouramy fish’ is used in this sauce, but I know that gouramy is pickled and sold in different ways also. I think if you ask the shop owner for preserved/fermented fish sauce, they should know what you’re talking about.
I’ve enjoyed both Kikkoman and Ayam soy and fish sauces before. Both are big brands and have a good share of the market. I’ve not tasted Abundant Earth tamari before, but sounds and looks delicious also! Will look for it and try. Red boat fish sauce is another fish sauce that I want to try. It was recommended to me at the same health food store that I bought the rice brand from. So many different products/brands, that it can be difficult to choose. I’m trying to read the label more now though. Thanks Emma. :)
[smiling] Oh dear: having just finished lunch for the making of which Ayam oyster sauce and Kikkoman Light Soy were used, I have a lot of testing and trying to do!! Especially as some form of Asian sauce manages to wriggle into one of my dishes just about every day!! My nearest Asian store being over 40 km away in a hard-to-park and somewhat unsalubrious neighbourhood, my fingers may have to do some ‘walking’ on line. Actually have heard of quite a few of these and would love to try!!!!! Quite interesting that the Maggi brand has made such inroads into the Asian flavour world!!!
Oh my: in spite of a hugely busy day you have managed to open quite a Pandora’s box for me and I have been spellbound for an hour!!! Heaps of ways to get all this even to country Australia: Personally, when I get a moment, am going to try ‘Asia Food 4U’ or ‘Asian Grocery Store’ – the first seems to be more stocked [huge availability], the second a tad cheaper . . . and the sending costs not humongous . . . one was just over $10 for 20 Kg Sydney and surrounds!
Hi Eha,
Lol – glad you’ve been inspired to try some new sauces, and I’m sure you’ll find many of them very delicious and useful. Thank you for sharing those two stores/sites. I’m sure some other readers who might stumble on this post will find that info helpful too. Considering the time/transport costs, etc, that price sounds reasonable. And think about the time and costs you’ll be saving too. Have fun with your sauces/ingredients Eha. Please let me know how you go if you can. Have a great week! :)
Hi Eha,
Thanks for your comment. Emma above ^ also mentioned both Kikkoman and Ayam – seems like they have a good share of the market, and rightfully so because they do make very good/tasty sauces. There’s so many different types and variation in Asian sauces, including soy, fish, oyster, etc and this short/humble post has barely scratched the surface on what products and brands are available. There’s other similar comparative posts that you might want to check out:
http://shesimmers.com/2012/07/thai-fish-sauce-taste-test.html
http://ourdailybrine.com/fish-sauce-taste-test/
I’ve grown up with Asian sauces so I’m quite biased on how tasty and necessary they are. I love their flavours and versatility, and simply need them to season my food/recipes, and yes, I use them (esp. fish, light soy and oyster sauce) almost everyday too. I’ve ordered grocery online once via one of the two large supermarkets and the process was smooth. I think the process should be similar with smaller/boutique stores. Reading their customer reviews and info about them on their site should help you in your decision. Ordering online is definitely a good option, esp. if going into the store is not convenient. Maggi is a very popular brand and their Asian cooking/soy sauce tastes really good. I think it’s owned by Nestle.
Clicked on ere evening chores: living semi-rurally I have ordered everything available in a supermarket on line from that ‘W’ store for well over a year, am thrilled by the ease, the quality and the fun. Not one single problem during all that time, not one penny paid for transport and everything available 6am – 10pm 7 days a week! They notify even if 10 mins late!] And the specials and the samples!!!! They have done it better than I ever could. I have also ordered all my spices, vitamins & supplements etc on line forever, as well as olive oils etc straight from Oz growers, fish from Tasmania etc et al. Stupidly I just had not carried my ‘research’ onto Asian foods . . . . Lord only knows why because the availability is 10x that in my ‘local’ Asian store! Am amused and angry at myself . . . but your post did make me look it up and I am laughing :D !! Oh, meanwhile have just had a blog in from the US requiring white anchovies: yup, already ordered!!!!!! [Actually I am posting this at some length hoping to help some reading your post!]
Hi Eha,
Thank you very much for sharing that info. I’m sure a lot of people, including myself now are interested in ordering Asian ingredients online. I just had a look at the Asian Food 4 U website, and it looks great! Australia wide delivery, free delivery over $80, etc and they have an impressive selection of ingredients which are well priced too. Some Asian ingredients are available in the larger supermarkets, but the selection is not the same as that from an Asian store, and as you mentioned the online stores have a much larger selection and availability. People love ordering home-delivered Asian food, so why not do the same with specialty Asian ingredients. Great info Eha – thanks for sharing. :)
Thank you for understanding I just meant to be helpful and :) not ‘take over your post’!!!! Have a good night and happy days to come!
Not a problem Eha, and not at all. I really enjoy your constructive comments. Have a good night and please visit again. Best wishes. :)
I religiously use the Squid brand fish sauce too!
Hi Helen,
Thanks very much for your comment. I grew up with Squid brand and I also remember seeing Tiparos brand in the cupboard sometimes. To me, Squid brand is the classic fish sauce and it’s what I’ve grown to know what fish sauce is meant to taste like. In comparison to the other brand in the post – Three Crabs, it’s not as refined, and tastes evidently more robust and bold, but perhaps that’s what fish sauce is meant to taste like, and I still love eating and using it too. :)
Dear Padaek,
Very informative review!
I am no fish sauce expert but I find the aroma of the Squid brand too pungent. I believe this is because it’s fermentation process is brief and hence it’s is one of the cheaper ones. What might have been useful is a price comparison. I religiously buy the 3 Crabs brand and this is what I understand this brand to be:
– 3 Crabs brand is the equivalent of “extra virgin olive oil” ie the first press compared to say subsequent presses for other brands like the Squid brand.
– The aroma is a lot milder and it is generally used for dipping sauce or salads, Just like olive oil, we generally use more expensive ones for dipping bread and for salads and the cheaper ones for cooking. The cheaper Squid brands are used mainly by Thai restaurants for cooking and perhaps dipping sauce too since it is cheap.
– Fermentation of the 3 Crabs brand could be up to 3 times longer and hence I believe the price is also 3 times more expensive, at least.
I hardly use fish sauce for cooking hence I prefer the milder tasting 3 Crabs to make beautiful dipping sauces. It’s especially awesome when mixed with fresh lemon juice, fresh red chillies and coriander.
Hi ChopinandMysaucepan,
Thanks very much for your constructive comment and info on both the fish sauce and the olive oil – I really appreciate it. I am far from being a fish sauce expert, and I agree with you that the Squid brand is evidently more pungent/strong in flavour, compared to the Three Crabs brand. I was not aware that the length of fermentation time influences the taste/level of pungency of the fish sauce, but it makes sense. I did think about adding the price of the fish sauces as a comparison, but I managed to lose the receipts – not something unusual for me. I also wanted the post to be more about the flavours of the sauces and not so much about the price.
I grew up with Squid brand fish sauce, so I’ve always associated its taste to what fish sauce is meant to taste like – strong, pungent, robust and seriously salty/savoury. The Three Crabs brand is evidently smoother/more refined, etc, and I really enjoy it, but I also like the flavour of the Squid brand as well. I’m pretty sure that other brands of fish sauce will taste differently and have their unique definition to the fish sauce flavour, which I find really interesting.
That’s interesting that you compared the different brands and tastes of fish sauce to the different grades of olive oil. It’s a good comparison. It also makes sense to use the more refined fish sauces for dipping sauces/salads, and the stronger/robust ones for cooking. I think that both tastes great and it’s a good idea to use different types for different purposes. I used to work in Thai restaurants, and Squid brand was very popular. It’s a product of Thailand, so it makes sense to use it in Thai restaurants. Both Squid brand and Tiparos (and probably other brands too) are used regularly in both Thai cooking and dipping sauces too. It is both cheap and delicious, if mixed/blended well. At home. I normally use Squid brand religiously in both cooking and dipping sauces, and to temper its robustness, I add sugar, lime juice, etc. But because the flavour is quite intense, I try to not add too much of it, otherwise the dish will easily become too salty, which has been a problem of mine.
There’s quite a few different brands/variations of fish sauces out there and I look forward to sampling more and learning about their unique tastes and character. It’s interesting how different people/places uses different brands, and it’s really a matter of taste. After tasting the Crab brand, I must admit that it is extremely delicious, palatable and addictive, and I can see myself easily using it religiously too, although I will reserve it for special dishes/occasions. The fish sauce, lemon juice, fresh red chilies and coriander blend that you mentioned is hard to beat. The thought of it makes my mouth salivate. Thanks again for your detailed comment. I really appreciate it! :)
It’s a great idea to review these sauces as I would imagine most households would have either soy or fish sauce or both. I’ve never actually read a review on them so it was very informative thanks. Squid brand fish sauce is always a staple at my place and I try different soy sauces (usually Kikkoman) but always have a few of them at one time. Will try the LKK :)
Hi Jem,
Thanks for your comment! Yes, in Australia especially (considering the evident influence of Asian cuisine on our cooking/food scene), I think that both fish sauce and soy sauce (and other Asian sauces too) would be popular ingredients in many home and restaurant kitchens. I’ve barely scratched the surface in regards to finding and trying these different sauces and brands, but these are a start. In fact, the whole experience was very humbling and my food/cooking journey/future looks more daunting, although exciting too. I love Squid brand too, although it is more ‘robust’ (word used on their label) compared to the Three Crab brand. Red Boat is another highly praised fish sauce brand, although it’s a little more expensive. I’ve not yet tried it. I love Kikkoman too. Both Squid and Kikkoman are great reliable staple brands. Yes, it’s good to try different types/brands to see which ones we like more and suit us better. Don’t want to harp about it, but the LKK Premium Soy Sauce is very good. :)