No, Thai fish sauce is generally not sweet. It is primarily salty and umami-rich.
While sweetness is not a primary characteristic, here's a more detailed breakdown:
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Primary Flavor Profile: Thai fish sauce is known for its pungent, salty, and savory flavor. The "umami" characteristic provides a depth of flavor often described as savory or meaty.
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Production Process: Fish sauce is made by fermenting fish with salt. This process breaks down the fish proteins, resulting in the characteristic salty and umami flavors. There's no addition of sugar or sweeteners during its traditional production.
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Comparison to Other Sauces: As the provided reference points out, oyster sauce, made from reduced oyster extracts, is generally sweeter than fish sauce.
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Possible Misconceptions: Sometimes, a slight sweetness might be perceived, but this is often due to the complex interplay of flavors, especially the umami, and isn't actually added sugar. Also, some recipes may include added sugar when fish sauce is used as an ingredient, but the fish sauce itself isn't sweet.
Therefore, while Thai fish sauce contributes a complex and savory flavor profile to dishes, it is not inherently sweet. Its dominant characteristics are saltiness and umami.
