mắm cá
Definition
- Noun:
- Fish sauce: A traditional Vietnamese condiment made by fermenting fish with salt. It is a staple seasoning and dipping sauce in Vietnamese cuisine, known for its strong, savory, and umami flavor.
- Fermented fish paste: A thick, pungent paste produced from salted, fermented fish, often used as a base for dishes or a spread.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Mắm cá là gia vị không thể thiếu trong nhiều món ăn Việt Nam. (Fish sauce is an indispensable seasoning in many Vietnamese dishes.)
- Bà tôi thích phết mắm cá lên bánh đa. (My grandmother likes to spread fermented fish paste on rice crackers.)
- Mùi mắm cá rất đặc trưng. (The smell of fermented fish is very distinctive.)
Advanced Usage
"mắm cá lóc": A specific type of fermented paste made from snakehead fish.
- Mắm cá lóc miền Tây rất nổi tiếng. (Fermented snakehead fish paste from the Mekong Delta is very famous.)
"nước mắm cá": The liquid extracted from the fermentation process, often used as a cooking sauce or base for dipping sauce.
- Cô ấy dùng nước mắm cá để kho thịt. (She uses fermented fish liquid to braise meat.)
Variants and Related Words
Nước mắm (n): A clear, liquid fish sauce, which is a filtered product of fermented fish.
- Nước mắm pha là thứ nước chấm phổ biến. (Mixed fish sauce is a common dipping sauce.)
Mắm nêm (n): Another type of fermented fish sauce, often thicker and used in central Vietnamese cuisine.
- Mắm nêm thường dùng với bún đậu. (Mắm nêm is often eaten with rice vermicelli and tofu.)
Synonyms
- Fermented fish sauce: A general term for liquid or paste condiments made from fermented fish.
- Fish paste: A thick, fermented seafood condiment.
Related Idioms
- Đậm đà như mắm cá: As rich and savory as fish sauce (used to describe something with deep, authentic flavor).
- Câu chuyện của bà đậm đà như mắm cá. (Her story is as rich and savory as fish sauce.)