Your Fried Vegetables Need Some Fish Sauce
The best vegetables are fried vegetables, and the best fried vegetables end with fish sauce. Hot, salty and sweet sauce is the perfect companion for all kinds of earthy plant parts, from starchy potatoes to cruciferous sprouts.
Whether added as a vinaigrette at the end or mixed with vegetables before sautéing, the fish sauce adds an umami note that practically hugs the deep, seared and charred flavor of any root or bloom you cover it with. While it does come out strong (and funky) straight out of the bottle, it will eventually get soft, but start small as it can be quite salty.
You can add two or three teaspoons of the sauce to your cooking oil – be sure to cut out any salt you normally use – and let it caramelize along with the vegetables, or you can add it at the last minute as part of a vinaigrette ( this one from David Chang – classic). Either way, you’ll want to eat your vegetables in a way that makes your mother proud.