New Dish

I'm thinking about trying to recreate a Vietnamese dish I used to get at a local restaurant. They took yams, cut them in really thin strips, arranged them in wreaths, stuck tiny shrimps in the wreaths, and fried the whole mess. It was excellent.

I found the yams and a can of shrimp, but believe it or not, my local grocer does not carry Vietnamese condiments.

I seem to recall them using a sweet sauce with a little fish flavor in it. I think I mentioned this here before. The store had some Thai fish sauce, so I picked up a bottle, figuring it might be similar.

MAN, is that stuff funky. It absolutely stinks. When I tell you it reminds me of a dead cat that's been lying in the sun for a week, understand that I have seen cats in that shape, and that I remember the distinctive aroma. I am not saying "dead cat" out of ignorance.

But I can see how it would grow on you.

Does anyone here know if this is the stuff Vietnamese cooks use? I think it might be better diluted, with some hot pepper added. And maybe a dose of Febreze.

More

I found a recipe. In fact, it turns out I have a better one saved on my computer, but I can't find the page it came from, so I can't link to it. Here's what I'm talking about: CLICK.

Turns out the sauce is half fish sauce and half lime juice, with hot peppers added.

It's called "banh tom Hanoi." Let's see what I can do with it. I happen to have a half-gallon of beef fat, just waiting for something to be fried in it.