If you’re a vegetarian interested in experimenting with Thai cuisine, then you will have to find an alternative to fish sauce. It’s in almost every dish and is really essential to imparting the salty element of the four flavours of Thai cuisine: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. However, it’s more than just a salty taste that fish sauce brings to a dish, it’s also adds umami and a depth of flavour which is hard to replicate with vegetarian ingredients. The most commonly recommended substitution for fish sauce is soy sauce. While it does replicate the saltiness, it’s missing the deep earthy flavour of true fish sauce. Here I’ll share some of the alternatives to fish sauce that I’ve seen around on the internet. Then I’ll share with you the recipe that I have found to be the best alternative to fish sauce.
1. soy sauce in a 1:1 ratio
2. two parts vegetable stock to 1 part soy sauce
3. two parts soy sauce to one part lime juice
4. 1 tbsp soy sauce and ½ tsp miso paste
While the substitutions above would do in a pinch, I prefer to take a little time to prepare a large batch of the following recipe because it keeps well in the refrigerator for quite a long time and I can just pull it out whenever I need it for a dish. While the ingredients are not readily available in your local supermarket, they are not impossible to find in big cities or on the internet. Wakame, miso, and shiitake mushrooms are easily found in Asian supermarkets, organic supermarkets, and occasionally in health food stores. It’s worth it to look around for these ingredients as this recipe is the closest I’ve tasted to actual fish sauce. From: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-vegan-fish-sauce-130535 As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Vegetarian Fish Sauce
Ingredients
Instructions
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Cathy J. Kincaid says
Thank you!
Pam says
Thanks for the recipe. I can't eat fish as I no longer have the enzymes needed to digest fish. I'll try this and freeze in cubes as it would take me a long timeto use this up.
Melissa says
Great idea!
Icela says
Hi i was wondering where to buy the tamarind sauce?
Melissa says
At an Asian grocer or even large supermarkets in the ethnic food aisle.
Emanuela says
Just the recipe I was looking for! Thanks for sharing❤ Is wakame the dried one?
Melissa says
Yes, it´s dried
Emanuela says
Thanks!!
Carole says
I’ve been hoping for a good recipe for a vegan version of fish sauce- so glad to have stumbled upon this. Looking forward to trying. Many thanks !
Antonio says
Hi! Do you know how long can you keep in a fridge? Can I just make enough for a year? Or is it going to go bad? Thanks!
Leticia Fletes says
Great recipe THANKS! I DON'T EAT ANIMALS! I LOOOVE THAI FOOD, so this recipe allows me to create/cook many plates vegan and/ or vegetarian dishes. I am almost a vegan now because i CAN NOT bear to think or be part of the systematic cruelty to the billions of innocent brutally mutilated tortured then killed animal