dsi1 wrote:

> On Saturday, July 6, 2019 at 2:15:15 AM UTC-10, Gary wrote:
> > Sqwertz wrote:
> > > Naam pla is available at most every competent grocery store in
> > > the U.S. It's also knows a Nuoc Mam, AKA - Fish Sauce. Thai
> > > Kitchen sells a version of it in a small bottle in even the most
> > > redneck of stores.
> >
> > I have a bottle of that. Don't know if it's considered a good
> > brand but probably good enough.
> >
> > Brand is Dynasty. It is made in and imported from Thailand. 6.7oz
> > bottle.
> >
> > Not sure what to do with it but I add a bit to any stir-fry sauce
> > I make. I love asian food but I do admit that I'm very
> > "challenged" in that cuisine.
> >
> > Made fried rice last week with some leftover rice. Added minced
> > carrots, onion and garlic. This time I just put that into a bowl
> > with lid and microwaved it until the carrots bits were cooked,
> > rather than frying.
> >
> > Mixed up a sauce using soy sauce, Nuoc Mam and a tiny bit of
> > sesame oil. Mixed that in and my portions were off. Super salty
> > even for me. Then I remembered that many asian sauces include
> > some sugar and I had forgotten that.
> >
> > So I mixed in a bit of sugar and that made the taste so much
> > better. At least it was good enough to finish eating rather than
> > toss it.
> >
> > Anyone here have any good mix ideas for a sauce for either fried
> > rice or any stir fry?
> > I DO know to add some cornstarch to thicken a stir fry.
> >
> > As I said, I'm asian cuisine challenged but would like to learn
> > better.
>
> Balancing salty with sweet is an important concept in Asian cooking.
> For the sauce, you add sugar and then taste for balance. You have to
> learn how to do this. For starters, you can make teriyaki sauce. Pour
> light Japanese shoyu in a bowl and add some sugar. Taste. Add more
> sugar, if needed, repeat until the balance seems right to you. Add
> grated ginger if you like and dilute with water to the strength that
> seems right for you.
>
> As far as fish sauce goes, the best one is the cheapest that I see on
> the shelf when I'm buying the stuff.

Careful on 'fish sauce' folks, though ds1 probably gets it's not
'shoyu' many other countries get confused between 'sauce made from
fish' and 'sauce used on fish'.

Tiparos is a decent honest brand for Patis (fish sauce).