Haeoorim Jeju Korean Fish Sauce

For those put off by the typical pungency of fish sauce, Haeeorim’s Jeju Korean Fish Sauce—a milder, less funky take on the classic staple—may be just the thing. Caught in the waters off of Korea’s Jeju Island by local fisherman, a combination of young and horse mackerel marinate in salt crystals from Jeju before being expertly sealed in traditional Onggi (Korean earthenware pots) for more than a year. After the initial fermentation, a mixture of locally-grown daikon radish, sea kelp from Wando and local mandarin orange are added to the Onggi to add interesting notes of flavor, complexity and a bit of sweetness. After another period of aging and ripening, the resulting sauce is clean without the funk of typical fish sauce— thanks to milder mackerel, a less pungent option than the anchovies typically used for fish sauce, and longer fermenting—yet still full of meaty fish flavor. With a little more sweetness and a lighter touch of salt than most other brands, this fish sauce lends itself beautifully to a variety of dishes, from noodles and vegetables to sauces and marinades.