Sqwertz wrote:
> On Sun, 25 Apr 2010 12:08:13 -0400, Ian wrote:
>
>> The Thai Asian Grocery lady in Vienna gave me this bottle when I asked
>> for Nahm Pla Raa, and she was curious about what I was going to do with
>> it - its off-beat even for Thai people, apparently.
>
> I used to buy the whole fish mam nem from the bulk section of a
> Vietnamese grocer in San Jose. The stuff looks like mud with blue
> streaks in it (from the skin that hasn't quite decomposed like the
> rest of the fish)
>
> One day I took it to the counter and a couple of ladies behind me
> started talking to the cashier in Vietnmamese and laughing, looking
> at me and pointing at my purchase.
>
> I had no idea what they were saying, but I could guess. I opened up
> the plastic container and took a good long whiff for them, then
> dipped my finger in it and licked it off. Then I rubbed my belly
> and smiled. They started laughing again, good naturedly - in what
> I'd like to think was admiration or maybe even great respect.

You might as well assume something like that!

>
> Except for the cashier who looked totally incredulous and
> speechless. Almost like she was going to puke. She was younger
> generation Vietnamese.
>
>> Anyway, the bottle says, as you guessed, 'Mam Nem'. Ingredients are fish
>> extract, water, salt. Its made by Foodex in Thailand.
>
> Congratulations. Now open it and take a good long whiff!
>
> I just bought some fermented whole shrimp, which is a new one for
> me. It's mam tom... something. Mam tom (and mam rouc) is mam nem
> made with shrimp instead of fish - it's even more potent. It's
> equivalent to Thai shrimp paste (kapi) or it's other SE Asian names:
> belecan, blachan, terasi, bagoong alamang, saeujeot. These are the
> King of what I collectively call "Fermented Fish Products".

I bet you could use that in Indonesian dishes quite successfully.

>
> This version I have just bought is made with whole shrimp that look
> quite like normal, edible shrimp and not decomposing at all. I hope
> looks are deceiving, though. It is not the pink paste or sludge
> that is usually associated with mam tom/rouc. If I can find my
> camera I'll take a couple pictures before and after I open it.
>
>> Maybe I should check my Vietnamese cookbooks for ideas.
>
> Look fro a recipe for the mam nem sauce that uses 2x as much
> pineapple as raw mam nem, a littler bit of sugar, hot peppers, and
> rice vinegar.

I found this:
http://www.recipesource.com/ethnic/a...ng-sauce1.html

By coincidence it comes from Nicole Routhier, whose Cooking With Fruit
cookbook I just acquired.

>
>> One of these days I will actually bite the bullet and open it.
>
> Take 3 shots of 151 and go for it. It wasn't an acquired taste for
> me. But I had a very good Vietanmese restaurant next door that
> taught me well (even if I didn't understand a word they said). I
> just found their menu in my scrap box yesterday. The place burned
> down a decade ago.

I'll do something with it next weekend - which is when I have the time
to cook.

Thanks for the info, and the stories!

Ian