‘Nuoc mam’(Vietnamese fish sauce) is the ‘secret ingredient’ that gives dishes the taste and smell that mesmerise diners.  The amber-color liquid is used as an indispensable condiment for a variety of Vietnamese dishes.  Interestingly, a new product made from fresh fish, ‘bot nươc nam’ (organic fish sauce powder), have been created.

Organic fish sauce powder on display at a recent high-quality Vietnamese products fair

This new product is the brainchild of Doctor of Philosophy Dang Thi Mong Quyen, the Vice Rector of the Da Nang Junior College of Food Industry, and some of her talented students.

Ms Quyen, who is also the leader of the research group, highlighted the high nutritional values of organic fish sauce powder featuring natural ingredients sourced from the city’s Nam O village.  In reality, the powder is more convenient, and its consumers find it easier to carry compared to unwieldy bottles of conventional fish sauce.

Organic fish sauce powder will be considered nice gifts for overseas Vietnamese who are living and working in foreign countries as it help them recall their favourite hometown flavours. 

‘Bot nươc nam’ is very good for consumers’ health because no artificial flavours, sweetener, preservatives and artificial colours are added to this delicacy. 

The powder is a wonderful mix of conventional fish sauce and salt water.  Consumers find it very easy to stir the powder into a moderate proportion of boiled water.  In addition, they can add some sliced chilies and garlic to make the mixture more tasteful and eye-catching.

Currently, a bag of the powder is being sold at between only 5,000 VND and 6,000 VND, and a package, consisting of 50 small bags, is equivalent to between 4 and 5 litres of fish sauce.

In June, bags of delicious powder were on display at an exhibition as part of a contest to design tourism souvenirs for Da Nang.  The event aimed to select the most beautiful designs for souvenirs to be gifted to the participants of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week (AELW) which is being held in the city from 5 to 11 November. 

Ms Quyen and her students hoped that their product will be introduced to both domestic and foreign visitors arriving in the city in the years ahead.

She remarked that her research group is willing to introduce the methods of making the powder to any businesses which show their keen interest in conducting the mass production of this product.