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Many Americans are still squeamish about seafood, with their uncertainty relative to purchase, preparation and consumption of the stuff constituting a kind of culinary ichthyophobia, or fear of fish.
This condition may be more prevalent in the heartland, where major bodies of water are few and far between, and where true, briny bivalves are often supplanted by prairie oysters. While some consumers there credit Red Lobster and other casual-dining chains with removing the fear factor and making seafood approachable, they admit they're still most comfortable with mild fish that tastes less like an ocean and more like a chicken.
They'd best fasten their seatbelts, then, for the arrival of nuoc mam, the fish sauce that is to Vietnamese cuisine what ketchup is to the American kitchen. Made simply from fermented fish and salt, it adds a real umami kick to dishes. The addition...