What does Padek taste like?

Padaek is a seasoned and thicker fish sauce compared to regular fish sauce and it often contains chunks of fish in it. It’s typically pungent in taste and smell, and opaque in colour. It’s funky/rich aroma is akin to cheeses like Époisses.

What is Lao Lao fish?

Brachyplatystoma is a genus of catfish from the family Pimelodidae. Brachyplatystoma are found in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, and other tropical freshwater and brackish habitats in South America. Some species are migratory. These fish are important as food fish and, to some extent, aquarium fish.

What is unfiltered fish sauce?

Padaek is unfiltered fish sauce. Even at your local Asian supermarket, you may see products like this. While that Squid Brand fish sauce is my favorite fish sauce, that is NOT the padaek ingredient that you would use in a traditional papaya salad recipe.

What is fermented fish paste?

Fish paste is fish which has been chemically broken down by a fermentation process until it reaches the consistency of a soft creamy purée or paste. The term can be applied also to shellfish pastes, such as shrimp paste or crab paste.

How long does padek last?

The best padek has fermented for at least six months – a year is better – and comes from the North, according to northerners.

What is Budu Malaysia?

Budu, one of the Malaysian indigenous fermented food which is cloudy in color due to the sediment of fish bones and hydrolyzed fish meat and is popular in the east coast of peninsular Malaysia (Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang). It is commonly consumed as condiment or flavouring agent in certain dishes.

What is Padaek sauce?

Padaek , sometimes known as padek, or Lao fish sauce (Lao: ປາແດກ) (Thai: ปลาแดก), similar to pla ra in Thailand (Thai: ปลาร้า), is a traditional Lao condiment made from pickled or fermented fish that has been cured. Padaek is used in many dishes, most notably tam maak hoong, a spicy Lao papaya salad.

Does fish sauce have fish?

Fish sauce is a popular ingredient made from salted anchovies or other fish that have been fermented for up to 2 years ( 1 ). Most commonly used in Southeast Asian cooking, fish sauce lends its rich, savory, earthy, and umami flavor to many dishes, including pad thai, pho, green papaya salad, and stir-fries ( 1 ).

Is fermented fish bad?

Research suggests that fermentation causes fish protein to break down, making antioxidants available; these could help lower blood pressure, stimulate the immune system and control blood sugar, too.

Why is it important to cure a fish?

Curing reduces water activity through the addition of chemicals, such as salt, sugars, or acids. There are two main types of salt-curing used in the fish industry: dry salting and pickle-curing. In dry salting the butchered fish is split along the backbone and buried in salt (called a wet stack).

Where does padaek come from in the world?

Padaek is truly a “love or hate” ingredient, similar to the asian durian fruit. There is typically no inbetween. From a cultural perspective, padaek is largely popular in countries like Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. Is fermented fish sauce good for you?

What kind of fish is padaek made out of?

Padaek , sometimes known as padek, or Lao fish sauce (Lao: ປາແດກ) ( Thai: ปลาแดก) or Pla-ra in Thailand ( Thai: ปลาร้า ), is a traditional Lao condiment made from pickled or fermented fish that has been cured. It is thicker and more seasoned than the fish sauce more commonly seen throughout Thailand and Vietnam,…

Why is padaek a popular ingredient in Thai food?

Padaek is in the category of fermented artisanal foods, because of its elusive “umami” factor for the subtle, salty flavor. In addition, the popularity of Thai restaurants serving papaya salad (which is originally a Lao dish) and the availability of homemade papaya salad recipes online has made padaek a popular ingredient being sought after.