What Is Nuoc mam and How Can I Use It?

If nuoc mam has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 19 recipes to try it in.

In Chinese:	努尔卡马姆
British (UK) term:	Nuoc mam
en français:	nuoc mam
en español:	mam nuoc

Recipes using nuoc mam

There are 19 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Beef Soup with Lemon Grass (Canh Thit Xao Sa)

Canh Thit Xao Sa: a fragrant Vietnamese beef soup with lemongrass, fish sauce, shallots, and garlic, topped with fresh coriander and scallions. Light, aromatic, and ready in minutes.

Pho Bac (Hanoi Beef & Rice-Noodle Soup)

A savory and hearty soup made with succulent beef, hot chili sauce and bean sprouts.

Hanoi Beef & Rice-Noodle Soup (Pho Bac)

Authentic Hanoi-style pho bo with slow-simmered oxtail and beef bone broth, star anise, charred ginger, rice noodles, and paper-thin sirloin. This traditional Vietnamese beef noodle soup recipe takes 5 hours but rewards you with deeply aromatic, soul-warming bowls.

Pot Likker Chili with Beans

Southern pot likker chili built on collard-green broth with smoked chuck, ground beef, pintos, chipotle, habanero, and a splash of beer. Long-simmered, deeply smoky, bowl-licking good.

Lemongrass Chicken Wip

Lemongrass chicken stir-fry marinated in fish sauce, rice vinegar, and scallions then wok-fried with chili peppers. Topped with peanuts, bean sprouts, and fresh cilantro for an authentic Thai flavor.

Lemongrass Chicken Wip

Lemongrass chicken stir-fry marinated in fish sauce, rice vinegar, and scallions then wok-fried with chili peppers. Topped with peanuts, bean sprouts, and fresh cilantro for an authentic Thai flavor.

Thai Chicken with Fresh Basil

Thai chicken with fresh basil (pad krapow gai style) stir-fried with garlic, serrano chiles, and fish sauce. Ten-minute weeknight one-wok dinner served over rice.

Hanoi Beef & Rice-Noodel Soup (Pho Bac)

Authentic Hanoi-style beef pho with charred aromatics, star anise, cinnamon, and a 6-hour broth. Crystal-clear, deeply savory, topped with paper-thin raw beef cooked by the hot soup.

Pho

Pho bo (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) with oxtail broth, charred onion, star anise, and fish sauce poured boiling over rice noodles and paper-thin raw beef that cooks in the hot broth. Garnish with cilantro, scallions, and lemon.

Tangy Vietnamese-Style Marinade

Vietnamese-style marinade with nuoc mam (fish sauce), shallots, garlic, peanut oil, and sugar. A tangy, umami-rich five-minute marinade for grilled meats and seafood.

Big Heat's Brunswick Stew

Pit-master style Brunswick stew with smoked pulled pork, roasted chicken, okra, lima beans, and corn simmered in homemade stock. Low and slow for hours, packed with smoky, tangy heat.

Bus Station Saigon Sandwiches

A vibrant Vietnamese-style banh mi stuffed with sliced pork, pate, grated carrots, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno, and a punchy fish sauce and chili garlic dressing. No cooking required.

Grilled Dried Beef

Vietnamese grilled dried beef marinated in lemongrass, chili, fish sauce, and soy sauce, then sun-dried 12 hours and grilled until crisp. Serve with glutinous rice. A traditional thit bo kho worth the wait.

Smoked Turkey Hash

Crispy smoked turkey hash loaded with mashed potatoes, 10 cloves of garlic, Worcestershire, fish sauce and soy sauce. A bold, savory skillet meal ready in 25 minutes.

Asparagus & Crab Meat Soup - Mang Tay Nau Cua

Asparagus and Crab Meat Soup - Mang Tay Nau Cua recipe

Best Asparagus Crab Soup (Sup Mang Tay Cua)

The French introduced asparagus to the Vietnamese, who promptly incorporated this classic vegetable into their cuisine. The Vietnamese word for asparagus is "Western bamboo," due to its resemblance to bamboo shoots. asparagus is universally popular throughout Vietnam, this light, tasty dish will delight your family as well.