This briny infusion is rich in “umami” (a loanword from the Japanese which can be described as a “pleasant savory flavor”) and can be used in equal amounts as a replacement for traditional fish sauce in your favorite Southeast Asian recipes. This recipe yields about 1 cup.
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup tamari, soy sauce or Bragg Liquid Aminos™
- ½ medium onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 T (4 g) dried shredded wakame (seaweed)
- 1 oz (28 g) dried shiitake, porcini or portabella mushrooms
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 2 T mellow white miso paste -
Technique Bring all ingredients except for the miso to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce the heat to a vigorous simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Mix the miso into the macerated mixture.
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a glass jar, pressing the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Seal and refrigerate until ready to use. Due to its salt content, this sauce should stay fresh for several months in the refrigerator.