Fish Sauce vs Oyster Sauce: How Are They Different?

Fish sauce is a salty liquid condiment made by combining fish such as anchovies with sea salt; this mixture is then left to ferment in a closed container for at least one month. After fermenting, the liquid is poured off to yield first-press fish sauce. Fermented fish sauce is an essential ingredient in Southeast Asian cooking. This popular condiment has a salty, savory flavor that can be intense when raw. When cooked, it mellows out, leaving behind a rich umami flavor.

It is important to note that some commercial fish sauce brands you find in the grocery store contain wheat and are not gluten-free, so always check the label to see exactly what you’re getting. Vegetarians (who are not pescatarians) should avoid using fish sauce because it is made from fish. Some popular substitutions for fish sauce include Worcestershire sauce or light soy sauce with lime juice.

Fish sauce is a cooking staple in Southeast Asia, especially in coastal regions where fish is easy to obtain, including Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Some common uses of fish sauce include the following.

1. 1. Thai curry: For an easy curry, combine Thai curry paste with coconut milk, chicken stock, vegetables, and chicken. Season with fish sauce.
2. 2. Pad Thai: Pad thai owes its signature tangy and savory taste to fish sauce, which is almost always a component of pad thai sauce.
3. 3. Dipping sauce: One of the easiest things to do with fish sauce is to turn it into a simple dipping sauce, such as Vietnamese nuoc cham or Thai prik nam pla.
4. 4. Stir-fry: Add a little fish sauce to your next stir-fry instead of soy sauce or salt, and notice how it heightens umami flavor in meat and vegetables.
5. 5. Grilled meat: Use fish sauce as a marinade for beef or chicken before grilling or roasting. Or, try drizzling fish sauce over vegetables—such as Brussels sprouts or broccoli—and roasting them until they’re crispy.

Whether you're shopping for fish sauce at an Asian market or looking through a cookbook, you may see fish sauce referenced by a few different names. Here are some of the most common.

1. 1. Nam pla: Thai fish sauce is known as nam pla, which translates to "fish water." Fish sauce from Thailand can be saltier than other fish sauces.
2. 2. Nuoc mam: Vietnamese fish sauce is called nuoc mam. Fish sauce produced on the island of Phú Quoc is known for its quality, and it has protected status in Vietnam and Europe. Vietnamese fish sauce is known for being light and sweet.
3. 3. Patis: Filipino fish sauce is known as patis. It's used to make fried chicken, adobo, and to season broths. It can be heavier and more assertive than other types of fish sauce.

Oyster sauce is a glossy, thick sauce made from oyster juices caramelized with salt and sugar, then thickened with cornstarch. This popular Cantonese sauce adds a sweet note of brine to steamed and stir-fried vegetables. Although it does not taste like oysters, oyster sauce has its own distinct sweet and salty flavor reminiscent of shellfish. With its dark brown color and rich consistency, oyster sauce can be a dynamic addition to many different Asian cuisines.

Most commercial versions add cornstarch as a thickening agent and monosodium glutamate (MSG) for umami. It's used in classic dishes like bò lúc lắc (shaking beef) and to tone down the bitterness of stir-fried greens. If you’re a vegetarian or allergic to shellfish, you can use a vegetarian oyster sauce substitute (usually made from mushrooms rather than oyster extract).

Oyster sauce is a popular flavoring agent in many types of cuisine, including Chinese, Thai, Khmer, and Vietnamese food. Similar to fish sauce, oyster sauce can be used in a variety of ways.

1. 1. Stir-fry: Oyster sauce is a popular ingredient as a stir-fry sauce and can be mixed with water, vinegar, and sesame oil for a salty-sweet kick for your veggies and meats towards the end of your sautée time.
2. 2. Soup: You can use oyster sauce to flavor soups like ramen, pho, or stews to add a sweet and savory briny, umami flavor.
3. 3. Dipping sauce: Oyster sauce is also a popular dipping sauce for cooked vegetables, spring rolls, or cooked meats.
4. 4. Salad dressing: If you’re looking for an Asian-style salad dressing, you can add a bit of oyster sauce to the mix. However, due to its thick consistency, it’s better to mix oyster sauce with vinegar, ginger, and/or soy sauce to help thin it out and make it more spreadable.
5. 5. Marinade: Oyster sauce can be used as a traditional marinade for meats, fish, and veggies for some extra flavor. Baste or soak your ingredients in a blend of oyster sauce, vinegar, and other spices before cooking for a tender, flavorful dish.

While fish sauce and oyster sauce can be used in similar ways, they are not interchangeable. Using one instead of the other will change the entire flavor, texture, and aroma of your meal. Fish sauce contains different (and fewer) ingredients than oyster sauce, making them two entirely distinct condiments with a variety of other differences between them. Here are four differences between oyster sauce and fish sauce.

• Taste: Fish sauce is much fishier and saltier in flavor than oyster sauce, which has more of a sweet and briny taste to it.
• Ingredients: Fish sauce typically is made out of a base of fermented anchovies. As its name reflects, oyster sauce is made out of reduced and caramelized oysters.
• Appearance: Fish sauce is a clear condiment that has a deep, red-brown color tint to it, whereas oyster sauce is a dark, opaque brown sauce more similar to a syrup.
• Consistency: Oyster sauce contains sugar and cornstarch, giving it a thicker consistency than fish sauce, which is a bit thinner and more liquidy.
• Aroma: Fish sauce has an unmistakable, pungent aroma that is very strong. Oyster sauce’s aroma is a little bit more subtle and not quite as fishy.

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