All three sauces could be used directly as a dip sauce, and often with chopped chillies or garlics added. The Indonesians use sweet dark soya sauce in their cooking while the Chinese use them mostly as a dip sauce for snack food such as po piah (spring rolls) and dumplings. In Japan, soya sauce is often used instead of salt. The quality varies greatly, a freshly home brewed soya sauce has a wonderful aroma that fills the room when it is served. Sadly, such cottage industries have been replaced by big commercial operations and such good soya sauce has become extinct.

More about Seasonings

Fish sauce is loved by the Thai, Vietnamese and Southeastern Chinese. Similar to light soya sauce, it is saltish. Various grades are available but mostly the good ones are available at markets overseas. The fishy flavour is greatly reduced in the cooking process.

Salt is an important seasoning in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia while the saltiness of Thai food comes from fish sauce. Use always sea salt and not other mineral salt for Southeast Asian cooking. Usually fine salt is used but sometimes coarse salt is used for certain special dishes.

Monosodium glutimate, or MSG in short, is a very popular seasoning. While some people are allegic to it(thirst seems to be the most common reaction), it is actually quite harmless. Many research have been conducted but the results are not conclusive. Some claim that it's the sixth taste. Science aside, a little of it does improve the taste of a dish greatly, especially simple dishes with few ingredients. It works only with savoury dishes.

Sesame oil, with its strong aroma, is used only in small quantity and rarely used in cooking process but splashed over certain dishes. Like soya sauce, good quality sesame oil is not available outside Asia if my experience in San Francisco and Amsterdam is anything to judge by.

Vinegar is popular with the Chinese while Southeast Asian use unripe fruits and tamarind to add sourness. Most common vinegar is made from rice. White vinegar has the strongest acidity and used mostly for making pickles. The rest ranges from light redish brown, black to sweetened and usage ranges from dip to stew. Palm vinegar is popular in the Philippines but is seldom available in overseas markets.

Rice wine is only popular in Chinese cooking and nearly no alcohol is used in other Southeast Asian cuisines.

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