Seriously Elevate Bland Mayo With One Fishy Ingredient

The sheer disappointment one receives once one delves into a bland jar of mayonnaise is sometimes on the verge of soul-destroying. There are many ways to rectify this upset, whether with a touch of applesauce, a few slices of garlic, or a splash of Tabasco. Although these additions can turn that condiment around, fish sauce is the answer if you want to elevate your mayonnaise into a savory powerhouse.

Picture your bland mayonnaise as a blank canvas and the fish sauce as a flavorful paint. Brushes of umami flavor produce a dip that's captivatingly meaty and tangy. If you appreciate the intensely savory and deeply salty anchovy paste, you probably recognize that fish sauce is akin to its essence. Renowned for its pungent flavor that's salty, briny, and slightly sweet, fish sauce is uniquely individual. Once combined with creamy mayonnaise, the fish sauce's robust flavor is subdued, and instead, the delicate fishy notes shine while the tanginess of the mayonnaise is intensified.

Before you pour any bottle of fish sauce into your mayonnaise, it's essential to question what kind it is and what flavors it accentuates. While a wide range of fish sauces are available on the market, they generally tend to share two common ingredients: small fermented fish, such as anchovies, and salt. These create a potent taste that, while filled with umami-ness, is also exceptionally salty. Most mayonnaise also contains salt, so it's imperative to exercise moderation. Treat the addition of fish sauce with a less is more approach.

There are also some subtle flavor nuances between different varieties of fish sauce. Nuoc mam, from Vietnam, tends to be light and sweet, while Thai fish sauce, nam pla, is typically saltier than other varieties. Patis, a Filipino type of fish sauce, usually does not contain added sugar and offers a much more assertive flavor.

If you're selecting a fish sauce with your mayonnaise in mind, consider how these small intricacies may impact the finished condiment. If you want the mayonnaise to explode with fishiness, choose patis, and if you want the fishy flavors to delicately unravel, choose nuoc mam.

While the limits of using this condiment are only set by your culinary imagination, it can be handy to have a little inspiration. One place this umami mayonnaise has already won is in a banh mi. A banh mi is a Vietnamese stuffed baguette that's usually filled with ham or pork, sliced cucumber, pickled carrot and daikon, fresh cilantro, and a condiment like mayonnaise or butter (sometimes even pâté too). Instead of using ordinary mayonnaise, blow up the flavor with fish sauce mayo. It'll effortlessly complement the acidic vegetables, meaty protein, and tangy fresh herbs.

This fish-infused mayonnaise also has flavors reminiscent of tartar sauce, so as you can imagine, it'll pair remarkably well with seafood. Whether that's crispy fish fingers, battered cod goujons, or breaded shrimp, highlight the meatiness of the fruits of the sea with this umami mayo. For less extravagant applications, you could even drizzle it on grilled corn for a tangy kick.

This fish sauce mayonnaise will also benefit from a squeeze of lime for a juicy bite or a little hot sauce for a bit of heat. The kitchen is made for creativity, so step into it and revive that bland mayonnaise. First stop: fish sauce.