The Unexpected Ingredient That Makes Any Soup Instantly Tastier

A concoction of love and labor, soup is a quintessential comfort food around the globe. Of course, it's not just the warmth that makes this dish so dearly loved, it's also the beautiful flavors that come together harmoniously. This all comes down to choosing the right ingredients, especially condiments. Taking a page out of Asian cuisine, nu'oc mam is a solid choice. Although not too often considered, its boldness is just what your soup needs for a more intense taste.

Nu'oc mam (also known as nu'oc cham) is a Vietnamese dipping sauce with fish sauce as a base. Then, it's mixed with water, sugar, and lime juice, with the optional addition of bird's eye chili and garlic or ginger. This fascinating blend gives the sauce a signature saltiness, which is nuanced with sweet, sour, and zesty hints. With a unique umami brightness, you'll easily find it accompanying Vietnamese classics, from spring rolls and com tam to banh xeo (Vietnamese crepes) and countless others.

Although more commonly used as a dipping sauce, nu'oc mam can also bring an extraordinary flair when added to soups. Its umami depth gives the dish a special complexity that elevates the overall flavor profile. Each spoonful is backed by a zesty, acidic tang that brightens the savory taste and herbaceous aroma. Paying closer attention, you might also detect the hint of sweetness peeking through, entangled in all that hearty richness.

Making a good nu'oc mam starts with choosing the right fish sauce. When purchasing, as a general rule, opt for ones with a high protein content and no more than three or four ingredients to ensure the taste isn't diluted. Once you've gathered everything else, it's important to keep the amounts balanced. As a starter, you can use a 3:1:1 cup ratio of warm water, fish sauce, and sugar, and keep making adjustments as you add other ingredients.

Since nu'oc mam has a fish sauce base, you can consider adding it to soups that normally call for this condiment. Thai soups such as tom yum goong, tom kha kai, and red curry are perfect for those seeking something sour and spicy with a sweet and creamy undertone. As for Chinese soups, you might be familiar with the takeout favorite hot and sour soup. In the savory realm, there are wonton soup and beef noodle soup. In Vietnamese cuisine, fish sauce is frequently used in canh chua — a sweet and sour fish soup made with tomatoes, tamarind paste, and fresh herbs.

You may be wondering if it also works for regular soup, and the answer is a resounding yes. In fact, it's encouraged to add fish sauce to your chicken noodle soup for extra umami, or the beloved Italian minestrone where just a few drops can make a huge difference. In French onion soup, it's a surprise factor that adds gorgeous depth to the broth.