In article >,
"James Silverton" > wrote:

> isw wrote on Wed, 06 Oct 2010 00:07:44 -0700:
>
> >> Stu wrote on Tue, 05 Oct 2010 10:33:51 -0500:
> >>
> > >>> Don't laugh, I just bought a bottle of imported Vietnamese
> > >>> fish sauce and it scares me! Should it be a little bit
> > >>> chunky, pours ok but after I opened it already I put my
> > >>> finger over the top a shook it up, it seemed to blow out
> > >>> just a tiny bit.
> > >>>
> > >>> Here is the writing on the bottle, Que Huong, Bun Mam Da
> > >>> Nang, Mam Nem Pha San, Huong Vi dac Trung, Ho Chi Minh
> > >>> City, Vietnam.
> > >>>
> > >>> Fish sauce smells already so how could you tell if its
> > >>> went bad?
> > >>>
> > >>> Michael
> >>
> >> The only fish sauce I use is a Thai variety called Golden
> >> Boy, which is clear and light yellowish brown. The many
> >> sauces I see containing various sorts of sludge are most
> >> unattractive. Even Golden Boy tasted straight is pretty
> >> horrible but it does wonders for Thai and Vietnamese cooking.
>
> > Use a little bit of it in western dishes where you want to
> > enhance the "meaty" taste -- it's high in umami.
>
> That's an interesting idea; I'll have to give it a try. On the other
> hand, I am not opposed to the use of MSG in western food.

Nor am I, which is a good thing considering the other "western"
condiments containing it (anchovies, for one; Worcestershire sauce for
another).

Isaac