BoTree introduces Red Boat fish sauce to its seasoning range and adds umami to its flavour arsenal

We’re very excited to announce that we’ve expanded our exquisite seasoning collection to include ‘the best fish sauce in the world’: Red Boat fish sauce. This takes our range of seasoning to the next level: we introduce the much-loved- yet often misunderstood- umami taste to our pantry.

Umami is translated from Japanese as yummy, deliciousness or a pleasant savoury taste. It has been deemed the ‘fifth taste’ after sweet, sour, salt and bitter. As flavour-obsessed foodies whose motto is ‘exquisite produce with provenance’, we were searching for the world’s finest umami-based seasoning: we wanted high quality with deep roots. We chose Red Boat’s fish sauce as it is unlike any other fish sauce in the world. 

Why Red Boat fish sauce is different

Red Boat’s fish sauce is made with just two ingredients: wild-caught black anchovies from the crystal clear waters of Phú Quốc, a Vietnamese paradisiac island off the coast of Cambodia, and sea salt . It’s not watered down, there’s no MSG or any preservatives. Just two simple, tasty ingredients: anchovies and salt.

They are conserved in wooden barrels for one year, following a traditional fermentation method, revived by Red Boat’s founders when they started the company in the early 2000s.

Unlike all other fish sauces which dilute the pressed liquid, Red Boat’s fish sauce is made from the first press.

Dubbed the ‘purest fish sauce on earth’, it has double the nitrogen content than any other fish sauce. Since fish sauce is graded in terms of nitrogen content, this is exceptional. As the experts at the Michelin Guide say: “The degrees (°N) on the label of Vietnamese fish sauce represent the protein content. The higher the value, the higher the protein content and the umami.” Anything over 30N is considered high-grade, and 40N is optimal.

It is also 100% organic with no additives and no added sugar. Instead, all the complexity comes from the natural fermentation process. 

Why Red Boat’s story matters

The story of Red Boat is very close to home, both literally and physically. BoTree and Red Boat are practically neighbours. The Vietnamese island, Phú Quốc, where Red Boat fish sauce is produced, is in seeing distance from our pepper plantation in Kampot, just 14 miles across the Gulf of Thailand. In 2011, the founder of Red Boat, Cuong Pham, set out to revitalise the fish sauce industry on Phú Quốc - an island traditionally famous for its fishing communities and fish sauce factories - with a strong focus on sustainability. This is similar to BoTree’s mission to bring about an ethical seasoning renaissance in Kampot.

How to use Red Boat fish sauce

Fish sauce is a staple in pantries throughout the world. Not only is it heavily used in Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian dishes, it adds a unique and savoury complexity to dishes of any cuisine. The use of fish sauce is endless - whether you’re grilling seafood, sauteing vegetables or stir-frying a steak, it will deliver a deep, umami-rich taste sensation. It is effectively the rest of the world’s Worcester sauce. In fact, if you’re a fan of strong, savoury cocktails, try replacing Worcester sauce in your Bloody Mary with Red Boat’s fish sauce for a richer, more rounded taste sensation.