Sqwertz wrote:
> On Wed, 21 Apr 2010 21:35:00 -0400, Ian wrote:
>
>> Hi -
>>
>> Has anyone got much experience cooking with nahm pla raa - extremely
>> fermented fish sauce?
>
> Define "extremely fermented". I've cooked with all sorts of
> fermented fish products. The strongest is mam nem - which is the
> whole fish, not just the liquid that comes off the fish to make nam
> pla or nuoc mam.
>
> I'd guess this pla ra is the same as the Vietnamese mam nem. Mam
> nem is sold as whole fish pieces (cut into 1" squares) or ground
> into a pinkish brown pourable paste. I love the stuff and am still
> experimenting with the different brands to find the right ratio for
> the infamous Vietnamese dipping sauce. It's other main ingredient
> is pineapple puree in the dipping sauce of the same name. Many
> Vietnamese people will not even eat this sauce. Only people with
> sophisticated palates truly appreciate the smell and value of this
> sauce.
>
> -sw

Well, I'm hoping to join the sophisticates among us :-).

The Thai Asian Grocery lady in Vienna gave me this bottle when I asked
for Nahm Pla Raa, and she was curious about what I was going to do with
it - its off-beat even for Thai people, apparently.

Anyway, the bottle says, as you guessed, 'Mam Nem'. Ingredients are fish
extract, water, salt. Its made by Foodex in Thailand.

Maybe I should check my Vietnamese cookbooks for ideas.

One of these days I will actually bite the bullet and open it.

Thanks,

Ian