Fish Sauce-Pickled Garlic

Do not worry if your garlic starts to turn blue after the brine is added. This is a reaction between the sulfur and enzymes in the garlic with the acidity and heat of the brain.

Fish Sauce Pickled Garlic

I am starting a series on demystifying Asian ingredients. My goal is to make Asian cooking less intimidating to non-Asian cooks. If you’re a foodie’s foodie or a member of the East Asian gang gang, this may not be for you. Then again, it just might surprise you! I believe understanding these ingredients at their core will empower you to integrate them into your everyday cooking beyond just East Asian recipes.

To kick off the series, we'll be showcasing the delightful, pungent, and flavorful fish sauce, specifically the Southeast Asian variety primarily made from anchovies. Nearly every culinary tradition worldwide boasts its version of fermented fish essence, from the ancient Roman "garum" to the Japanese "shottsuru" and the familiar Worcestershire sauce in the US/UK. These sauces were traditionally derived from anchovies, shellfish, or cephalopods, their essence carefully bottled for culinary use. Don't be put off by its strong smell; I assure you, it's an invaluable pantry staple, adding profound depth and complexity to both savory and sweet dishes.

Like olive oil, fish sauce has scales of purity and quality. I highly recommend the 3 Crabs and Son brands of fish sauce. The Son brand is crafted with minimal ingredients (salt and anchovies) and is great for both raw and cold preparations because of it’s higher quality. 3 Crabs is a great everyday fish sauce to use in hot cooking but it does contain some additives like sugar.

Inaugurating our fish sauce series is a recipe that incorporates fish sauce into a garlic-infused pickle brine. What's fantastic about it? The garlic not only enhances dishes like Korean pork belly lettuce wraps (bossam) but can also be minced and incorporated into sauces or dressings like nuoc cham. Additionally, the brine serves as a flavor booster for vegetable sautés and stews. This quick pickle brine is reminiscent of my Candied Pho-Spiced Pickles recipe, featuring a generous amount of sugar. Feel free to customize this recipe by adjusting the spices or reducing the sugar according to your preference!

Ingredients

• 16 ounces garlic, peeled*

• 3 Thai bird’s-eye chilies, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped (optional)

• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds

• 1 tablespoons black pepper

• 1 cup distilled white vinegar

• ¾ cup fish sauce

• ¼ cup water

• 1/2 granulated sugar

• 1 tablespoon sea salt

Special Equipment

• 36 ounce Mason jar

Directions

1. Place the garlic, spices, and chilies into a sanitized quart jar.

2. In a small sauce pan, bring the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and fish sauce up to a boil over high heat. Allow the salt and sugar to dissolve. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Pour the hot brine over the garlic mixture. Cover and place into the fridge for one day before eating. The pickled garlic will last for one month in the fridge.

   *Note: the garlic may turn a blue-green color as it ages in the vinegar-based brine. Do not worry, as long as there is no mold present or it doesn’t smell rotten, it is completely safe to eat. In fact, there is a tradition of Chinese pickling that creates blue garlic as a condiment.