Four Vietnamese Dishes Named among World’s Best Rated Dishes with Ginger
	TasteAtlas: Four Vietnamese Dishes Among World’s 100 Best Dishes With Ginger

Fish sauce is ranked 22nd with a score of 4.4 out of 5 stars.

It serves as both a dipping sauce for traditional dishes and a seasoning for modern cuisine, making it a staple in home-cooked meals and street food stalls across Vietnam.

In the country, fish sauce is served with dishes in two forms: pure and sweet.

Present at most family meals, celebrations, and street food stalls, sweet fish sauce is prepared with fish sauce, sugar, lime juice or vinegar, garlic, chili, and water, all mixed together.

Fish sauce is ranked 22nd with a score of 4.4 out of 5 stars. Photo: Taste Atlas

Although the same ingredients are used, each household’s version has its own unique flavor, shaped by the mixing method and the maker’s taste.

Sweet fish sauce is commonly paired with dishes like Com Tam (broken rice topped with grilled pork), spring rolls, and Banh Xeo (Vietnamese sizzling cakes), while pure fish sauce complements hot pot, steamed dishes, and boiled foods.

Fermented fish sauce ranks 96th with a score of 3.9 out of 5 stars.

This traditional dipping sauce, although less widespread than fish sauce, is gaining popularity across Vietnam.

Historically, fermented fish sauce was primarily enjoyed in the central provinces, but regional dishes are now becoming more accessible nationwide.

To create a jar of rustic fermented fish sauce, ingredients such as pineapple, ginger, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, and chili are used to soften the sauce’s strong aroma.

Fermented fish sauce ranks 96th with a score of 3.9 out of 5 stars. Photo: Taste Atlas

The process involves combining pure fermented fish sauce with these ingredients in a pot and stirring well, as thorough mixing is key to achieving the desired flavor.

While fermented fish sauce is known for its strong salty taste, it can vary by region.

In the south, for instance, it is often seasoned to be sweeter.

As a rustic dipping sauce, fermented fish sauce pairs well with dishes like vermicelli, rice paper rolls, and Banh Can (mini Vietnamese pancakes).

Toum, a traditional garlic sauce from Lebanon and Syria, ranks No. 1 on Taste Atlas’ list of the world’s 100 best sauces with a score of 4.7 stars.

Made from crushed garlic, canola or olive oil, lemon juice, and salt, toum serves as a versatile marinade, sauce, or dip.

In second place is Colombia’s hogao, a rich condiment that combines tomatoes, onions, coriander, garlic, cumin, salt, and black pepper.

Historically, fermented fish sauce was primarily enjoyed in the central provinces, but regional dishes are now becoming more accessible nationwide. Photo: Taste Atlas

Hogao is commonly used as a dipping sauce for meat dishes, arepas (Colombian flatbreads), and rice.

Fish sauce is a type of flavoring made out of salted fish that has undergone a year of fermentation. Sauce can also be found in some other Southeast Asian countries and the southern Chinese areas. Still, no place in this world will ever appreciate fish sauce as much as Vietnam does.

So what is Vietnamese fermented fish sauce made of?

Good “nuoc mam” is the juice in the flesh of fish that is extracted after a prolonged salting and fermentation process. It requires years to make top-quality Vietnamese dipping fish sauce. Regarding Vietnamese fish sauce ingredients, anchovies (cá cơm) are the typical ones; however, some types of fish sauce can be made from other small fishes.

These small fishes are packed into large barrels, jars, or crocks, with layers of salt. The fish are supposed to be fermented for 12 to 15 months, depending on specific production requirements. After a good amount of time, the newly-created sauce is extracted and undergoes an inspection of its nitrogen level. The final product is only successful if it passes the strict requirements set by the Ministry of Health.

What is considered to be good-quality “Nuoc mam” is a sauce that does not have a super strong smell while possessing a shining golden color.

Other than being a dipping sauce, Vietnamese fish sauce is widely used as a must-have component in the recipes of local dishes and has long been likened to the soul of Vietnamese food.

When Vietnamese fish sauce is combined with other ingredients like sugar, lime juice, and chilies, the fishy smell fades away and its ability to add richness and flavor to food becomes apparent. An interesting fact is that not all fish sauce is created in the same way. Their preparation can vary from region to region throughout Vietnam.

Depending on the type of food, you will need to put your own twists on the recipe or adjust the amount of sauce used. It is all about how to make it perfect according to your taste.

Vietnamese Frozen Meat And Pork Skin Soup Honored By Taste Atlas The renowned culinary site Taste Atlas recently listed Vietnam’s frozen meat and mixed pork skin soup among the best mushroom dishes in the world.

Taste Atlas: Spring Roll And Sugarcane Shrimp Are Among The World’s Best Appetizers Spring roll and sugarcane shrimp (Chao Tom), the Vietnamese traditional dishes, are voted among the world’s best appetizers on the global list of Taste Atlas.