Fish Sauce and Oyster Sauce

Hi Everyone,

I%26#39;m traveling to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Pkuket, and Koh Samui in early 2009 and just came across some info stating most Thai dishes are made with Fish Sauce or Oyster Sauce. This deeply concerns me as I do not eat ANY seafood whatsoever and can%26#39;t stand the idea of my meals being mixed with those ingredients. I%26#39;m a bit worried about what I will do over there now.

1.) Does anyone know when ordering in a restaurant or from a street vendor if I can request to have my meals made without this?

2.) Will I have to ask every single time?

3.) Does anyone know how to say ';No seafood ingredients please'; or ';No fish sauce please'; or ';No oyster sauce please'; in Thai?

Thank you all very much!

Fish Sauce and Oyster Sauce

Hi,

Yes to 1) and 2)

3) The easy way is

��mei aw seafood ka��

��Mei aw narm pla ka��

��Mei aw narm mun hoy ka��

If you��re a man, replace ��ka�� by ��krab��

Fish Sauce and Oyster Sauce

May we ask if your concern is over allergies, or just a strong dislike for fishiness?

If you are allergic, you had best bring an epipen, or whatever medication makes you better. Although many will try to cut out such ingredients, many prepared sauces will contain them. The cook may not know this.

If like me, you simply don%26#39;t like fish, fear not. Although it smell like a bait dock, fish sauce add no fish flavor to food, only some saltiness. Oyster sauce has no oyster flavor. It is used in many stir fries.

Another concern might be dried shrimp. These are used in a few dishes, and they do stink and taste fishy! These I have left out!

My wife is vego and always says

mai sai nam plaa, (dont put in fish sauce)

or gin jay (only eat vegetarian)

Most Thais dont understand why you dont eat meat but will do their best to accomodate you.

Fish sauce is nam plaa

oyster sauce is nam mun hoy

you%26#39;ll be fine, just go for it.

You say that you don%26#39;t eat any seafood - is it an allergy? I cannot eat seafood due to a severe allergy but have no problem eating food prepared with fish sauce or oyster sauce. One problem I encounter is that the wok used to prepare a seafood dish can then be used to prepare a meat dish for me, and I then sometimes get the allergic reaction. If you don%26#39;t eat seafood because you don%26#39;t like/want it, you won%26#39;t have a problem with the sauce, but if you are allergic, you may do.

Thank you everyone for your replies. I have had a fear of eating seafood ever since I was young and actually haven%26#39;t ever had any of it except for fish sticks when I was a kid. Since I don%26#39;t eat it at all, I am a bit concerned that I might be allergic to it and just don%26#39;t know it. I definitely do not want to find that out while on vacation. Either way, seafood (whether I can tell it%26#39;s there or not) completely grosses me out.

I saw from the replies that it looks like there are several ways to say the phrases I asked about. Can anyone verify the accuracy of these and would you recommend using one over the other?

Thank you again! I%26#39;m a bit less concerned now, but still would like to avoid seafood at all costs!

One-powerball%26#39;s wording is better for your needs. Mai Sai is do not add, whereas Mai Aow is do not want, (which they could interupt as you not wanting a bottle of nam plaa on the table).

I did once order a vegetarian pizza (it was awful) in Korat because it was the only thing on the menu that didn%26#39;t have meat in it. It came with ham on top, and when I sent it back, the cook came out and said ';no meat, just ham';. You won%26#39;t always get what you ask for so be a bit cautious!

From a medical point of view, if you think you may have a food allergy it would be wise to be tested. Then you would know for sure and could prevent a life threatening reaction. If you%26#39;re not sure, carry an epi-pen. It may just save your life.

Thanks MrCycling.

';Mei sai'; is the better way.

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