On Sun, 25 Apr 2010 12:08:13 -0400, Ian wrote:

> 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.

I used to buy the whole fish mam nem from the bulk section of a
Vietnamese grocer in San Jose. The stuff looks like mud with blue
streaks in it (from the skin that hasn't quite decomposed like the
rest of the fish)

One day I took it to the counter and a couple of ladies behind me
started talking to the cashier in Vietnmamese and laughing, looking
at me and pointing at my purchase.

I had no idea what they were saying, but I could guess. I opened up
the plastic container and took a good long whiff for them, then
dipped my finger in it and licked it off. Then I rubbed my belly
and smiled. They started laughing again, good naturedly - in what
I'd like to think was admiration or maybe even great respect.

Except for the cashier who looked totally incredulous and
speechless. Almost like she was going to puke. She was younger
generation Vietnamese.

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

Congratulations. Now open it and take a good long whiff!

I just bought some fermented whole shrimp, which is a new one for
me. It's mam tom... something. Mam tom (and mam rouc) is mam nem
made with shrimp instead of fish - it's even more potent. It's
equivalent to Thai shrimp paste (kapi) or it's other SE Asian names:
belecan, blachan, terasi, bagoong alamang, saeujeot. These are the
King of what I collectively call "Fermented Fish Products".

This version I have just bought is made with whole shrimp that look
quite like normal, edible shrimp and not decomposing at all. I hope
looks are deceiving, though. It is not the pink paste or sludge
that is usually associated with mam tom/rouc. If I can find my
camera I'll take a couple pictures before and after I open it.

> Maybe I should check my Vietnamese cookbooks for ideas.

Look fro a recipe for the mam nem sauce that uses 2x as much
pineapple as raw mam nem, a littler bit of sugar, hot peppers, and
rice vinegar.

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

Take 3 shots of 151 and go for it. It wasn't an acquired taste for
me. But I had a very good Vietanmese restaurant next door that
taught me well (even if I didn't understand a word they said). I
just found their menu in my scrap box yesterday. The place burned
down a decade ago.

-sw