How to Make Unique and Appealing Lia Thia Fish Sauce Specialty from Duc Hue – Long An

How to Make Fish Sauce

• 1

  Prepare the fish

  First, put the fish in a basket, use a coconut shell or your hand to scrub the fish against the basket to clean the scales and reduce the slime. Next, use your hands to remove the internal organs of the fish. Rinse the fish under water to clean it again and then let it drain.

  

  
• 2

  Pounding spices and marinating fish

  Peel the garlic and put it in a mortar, add 2 chili peppers and pound them finely.

  Add the garlic-chili mixture to a bowl, then add the drained fish along with 50g of coarse salt and 1 teaspoon of white wine. Mix the ingredients well and marinate for 10 minutes to let the spices soak in.

  

  
• 3

  Fermenting fish sauce

  Place the fish in a glass jar, use a spoon to press the fish down tightly and leave about 2cm of space from the top of the fish to the mouth of the jar. This is important because when sun-drying the fish sauce, the liquid from the fish will be released; if it’s too full, it will overflow when fermenting.

  Next, take the fish sauce outside to sunbathe for 2 days until the fish turns a slightly reddish pink.

  Tip: You should sterilize the glass jar before fermenting the fish sauce to ensure quality and help preserve it for a longer time.

  

  
• 4

  Making Rice Flour

  After fermenting the fish sauce for 2 days, you pour the sauce through a sieve and discard the liquid, keeping only the fish residue.

  Next, you place a pan on the stove, add 25g of rice, and roast it until it turns golden. Then, you put this rice into a blender, and grind it finely to make rice flour.

  Add sugar to the pan, melt it over low heat until it turns a caramel color, then add a little lime juice to prevent it from crystallizing. Pour the melted sugar into a bowl.

  When the fish sauce is drained, you put it into a bowl, add the rice flour and the melted sugar, and mix well. Finally, you transfer the sauce into a jar, pressing it tightly so that the fish sauce is sticky and does not become grainy.

  Use a bamboo stick placed diagonally to prevent the sauce from rising. Seal the lid tightly to avoid air exposure that could spoil the sauce. Ferment at room temperature for 2 – 3 months before use.

  

  

  

  
• 5

  Cooking the sugar syrup and mixing the fish sauce

  After fermenting for 2 – 3 months, you can prepare the fish sauce for consumption.

  Put 100g of palm sugar and 30ml of water into a pan. Cook the sugar over medium heat until it completely dissolves and turns a brown color.

  Next, pour the fish sauce into a bowl, add the cooked sugar syrup along with minced garlic, ginger, and chopped chili. Mix well and store it in a jar for later use.

  

  
• 6

  Final product

  The fish sauce has a fragrant, moderately salty and sweet flavor, and when prepared, it is aromatic with garlic and chili. You can enjoy it with hot rice and fresh vegetables or use it as a dipping sauce to enhance the flavor of your dishes.