Yes, fish sauce (鱼露, yú lù) is used in Chinese cooking, especially in southern Chinese and Cantonese cuisine, though less prominently than in Southeast Asian dishes; it provides savory depth (umami) and is used to add flavor in stir-fries, dipping sauces, and sometimes as a salt substitute, but Chinese versions can be darker, thicker, and sweeter than their Thai or Vietnamese counterparts.
Fish sauce isn't really used in Chinese cooking but in mainly Thai or Vietnamese. You can make it as a dipping sauce, add to dishes or soup to bring more depth of flavor. But use very sparingly since it is concentrated and has a very pungent smell.
A fish sauce, called kôechiap in Hokkien Chinese, might be the precursor of ketchup. By 50–100 BC, demand for fish sauces and fish pastes in China had fallen drastically, with fermented bean products becoming a major trade commodity.
Soy Sauce is the king of all sauces for Chinese. The usage of soy sauce in Chinese cooking is as important as it is salt & pepper in western cuisine. Chinese use soy sauce almost every day; every Asian household will keep at least one bottle of soy sauce in their house.
Soy sauce is the #1 ingredient used in Chinese cuisine. It's made from soybeans, wheat, salt, and water. It's salty, umami, and a must in your pantry if you plan to cook any Chinese (or any Asian) food!
Soy sauce is a non-negotiable staple when it comes to Chinese cooking. When you're sitting down to eat at most Chinese restaurants, you may have wondered why the soy sauce is served on its own, with a few other condiments and empty bowls. Soy is the ultimate umami base on which to build!
Hǎixiānjiàng (Hoisin sauce)
It is known for its balanced combination of sweet, salty, and umami flavors, and is made from fermented soybeans blended with sugar, vinegar, garlic, and various spices.
Made from fermented soybeans, hoisin sauce offers the fermented aspect of fish sauce with the salty flavors of soy sauce. It is a thick sauce that is often used as a glaze or dipping sauce. It has a slightly sweet flavor, so it is often compared to American-style barbecue sauce.
CHINESE SAUCES:
TWO INGREDIENT STIR FRY NOODLE SAUCE
Fish sauce – These days, it's fairly well known that this adds a stack of depth of flavour into anything it's used for! Don't fear fishy flavour, it gets cooked out as the noodles are tossed with abundance.
Fish sauce is a flavorful condiment rich in umami, adding depth to dishes. It provides small amounts of protein, contributing to muscle health, but is high in sodium, so it should be consumed in moderation to maintain heart health.
The key sauces in fried rice are soy sauce, oyster sauce, and fish sauce in fried rice. All three add unique flavors to the rice, but it can be easy to go overboard. Make sure you add small amounts of each and regularly taste your rice.
The high concentration of salt in fish sauce means it won't go bad at room temperature, but the color may lighten and the flavor will become more complex as the sauce ages. Keeping it in the fridge will slow this down.
Many Chinese takeout stir-fry dishes include "brown sauce." One of the most popular dishes featuring brown sauce is the takeout classic, beef and broccoli. The sauce typically contains beef stock or broth for added flavor, but chicken stock or broth can be used as an alternative.
Fish Sauce May Contain More Hidden Preservatives, MSG, and Sugar Than You Think! Although fish sauce may seem like a simple staple in Thai kitchens, the truth is that it often contains ingredients many people are unaware of.
While it's used in some Chinese dishes, fish sauce is an essential ingredient for many Taiwanese, Thai, Vietnamese and other Southeast Asian dishes.
Top 12 Low Sodium Asian Sauces
Soy sauce is the most common substitute for fish sauce, but it may not work alone. If you eat fish, try mixing soy sauce with finely minced anchovies or, if you don't, add coconut aminos or dried mushrooms.
Soy Sauce
Even if you're new to cooking Asian cuisine, you'll still be familiar with soy sauce. This sauce is an absolute staple and is commonly added to a wide range of dishes – from stews, to stir fries to marinades to dipping sauces – to give them a hit of umami flavours.
Salsa ocopa (Peruvian black mint sauce)
Salsa ocopa is a popular Peruvian sauce originating from Arequipa. It is made with queso fresco, aji amarillo chilis, milk, and huacatay, also known as Peruvian black mint, giving the sauce a unique flavor.
In general though, I use oils like canola, peanut or sunflower as they have a neutral flavour that blends in with ingredients like soy, fish or oyster sauce, commonly added to stir-fries and other Asian-style dishes. They're also really affordable. You don't want to spend a fortune on oils for wok-cooking.
Rice is high in carbohydrates, yet an intriguing phenomenon is how many Chinese people stay slim despite regularly consuming it. The secret lies in a combination of key factors. Portion control is practiced diligently, ensuring that rice consumption is moderated.
The 2-2-2 food rule is a simple guideline for leftover safety: get cooked food into the fridge within 2 hours, eat it within 2 days, or freeze it for up to 2 months to prevent bacteria growth, keeping it out of the temperature "danger zone" (40-140°F or 5-60°C).
Chinese food and soups contain monosodium glutamate (MSG) as the main addictive ingredient. A sensitive individual may suffer from headache, giddiness, sweating, abdominal pain, and urticaria within a few hours of consumption of MSG.