Quote:
Originally Posted by kindlekitten
What's the nam pla?
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Sorry... 'Nam Pla' is the Thai word for 'Fish Sauce.' It's a bottled seasoning that is used in
almost every Thai dish. Thai's rarely use salt in their cooking. Instead, they use fish sauce to satisfy that requirement. The stuff stinks REALLY bad when smelled on its own, but in not noticed when added to foods. You can find it in the Asian section of almost any large supermarket in the US. "Tiparos" brand is probably the most popular in Thailand, followed by "Squid" brand, and I've seen both in US supermarkets. There is NO suitable substitute for Nam Pla in Thai dishes, and it's a major flavor component to almost all of them.
Nam Pla doesn't 'age' well. It starts out as a clear, some what dark amber colored, strong smelling liquid, and gets darker and fishier-smelling as it gets older, looking more like dark soy sauce. This can happen in just several weeks. Old Nam Pla really stinks!
Buy the smallest bottle you can find. Even fresh and new, Nam Pla does NOT smell good. But... and you'll have to trust me on this one... it works in the dishes. Without it, Thai dishes fall flat. It is
THAT important!
Vietnamese cooking uses the same stuff, but calls it 'Nuoc Mam.'
Stitchawl