What is Padaek and how is it made?

What is Padaek and how is it made?

It’s a quintessential Lao ingredient and condiment. Padaek is a seasoned and thicker fish sauce compared to regular fish sauce and it often contains chunks of fish in it. It’s typically pungent in taste and smell, and opaque in colour.

Is padaek popular in Thailand?

Padaek is truly a “love or hate” ingredient, similar to the asian durian fruit. There is typically no inbetween. From a cultural perspective, padaek is largely popular in countries like Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. Is fermented fish sauce good for you?

What is a good substitute for padaek?

If you have to substitute for padaek, you can use anchovy sauce or paste that does not include vinegar. You can also cook bottled anchovy fillet in fish stock until it’s incorporated into a sauce. It is not an easy substitute. I would recommend visiting your local Asian grocer and finding the bottle I recommended above.

What is padaek (Lao)?

[dropcap]Padaek[/dropcap] (paa-dëëk) (Lao: ປາແດກ) (also known as padek and Lao bagoong) is traditional Lao fermented fish sauce. It’s a quintessential Lao ingredient and condiment. Padaek is a seasoned and thicker fish sauce compared to regular fish sauce and it often contains chunks of fish in it.

With a long fermentation period, Padaek is a thicker, seasoned fish sauce that typically contains chunks of fish. While it originated in Laos, Thai cuisines also have adopted the ingredient in some of its dishes. In Thai, it’s called Plara. Padaek is a condiment made from fermented and pickled cured fish.

What is the difference between Padaek and squid brand fish sauce?

Padaek is unfiltered fish sauce. Even at your local Asian supermarket, you may see products like this. This is NOT Padaek. While that Squid Brand fish sauce is my favorite fish sauce, that is NOT the padaek ingredient that you would use in a traditional papaya salad recipe.