Revamping Your Summer Fruit Salad with a Savory Fish Sauce Dressing
Adding fish sauce to your fruit salad might seem weird or unconventional. You might even think it sounds "disgusting"—but hold up for a sec. Consider how some people swear by adding a cup of mayo to cake batter. Mayo isn't just for sandwiches, and fish sauce isn't just for stir-fry. It turns out to be the ideal dressing for summer fruit.
Fish sauce brings depth
Fish sauce isn't usually mixed with fruit in the U.S.; rather, it's used to enhance savory dishes. Which is cool! Honestly, I'm glad fish sauce is becoming more popular in our kitchens. It's known for adding a rich umami and complexity to dishes like chili and stir-fried veggies. While the amber condiment has a potent fishy aroma straight from the bottle, it can be quite subtle when combined with other ingredients.
Even so, it might seem unusual to add it to fruit, but trust me, fish sauce and fruit go together. Sliced fruits are often enjoyed with a sweet, sour, savory, and occasionally spicy dipping sauce in Thailand, Laos, and other neighboring Asian countries. It's a common way to snack on young, sour fruits like green mango. Salty, umami-packed fish sauce is usually mixed with sugar and chilies to contrast the sour fruit and deliver a flavorful, well-balanced bite.
Making a fish sauce dressing for fruit
Although summer fruits like peaches, plums, strawberries, blueberries, and tomatoes are usually associated with sweetness, they also have a decent amount of acidity. That's perfect for this fish sauce application, and you can make a fish sauce-based dressing easily.
In a glass measuring cup, blend equal parts (by volume) fish sauce, fresh lime juice, and granulated sugar (either white or brown is fine). Stir the mixture until the sugar crystals dissolve completely. In a mixing bowl, drizzle over a couple of cups of cubed or sliced fruit. Gently toss it all until the fruit is coated in the "fish sauce salad dressing."
I think this sauce is great with sliced melons and peaches, but I recommend giving it a try with any of your favorites. Feel free to add more fish sauce, or increase the sugar or lime juice, depending on the ripeness of your fruit. If you're hesitant about diving into a flavor adventure but don't want to completely commit, serve the sauce on the side, dip a piece of fruit, and taste before deciding if you want to drench the whole bowl.
Sweet and Savory Fish Sauce Fruit Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cubed watermelon
- 1 peach, sliced
- 1 cherry tomato, chopped
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
- A few leaves of torn fresh mint or basil
- Combine the fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar in a glass measuring cup. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Add the fruit to a mixing bowl. Pour the fish sauce dressing over the fruit and toss in the herbs. Mix gently until all of the fruit is coated. Enjoy.
The fish sauce-based dressing, made by blending equal parts fish sauce, fresh lime juice, and sugar, is an excellent match for fruits with a decent amount of acidity. This dressing can be used to create a sweet and savory fish sauce fruit salad, making an unexpected yet delicious twist on traditional fruit salads with a fish sauce dressing recipe.
