A frugal fish stock

One of the interesting things about tracking the visitors to your blog (through the relatively easy to understand Google Analytics) is that you discover what they're looking for when they stumble upon you. Which this week included the intriguing phrase 'frugal fish stock'.

I would have thought fish stock was by definition frugal. It's also really quite tricky and messy to make unless you're in the habit of hoarding fish heads. Let your liquid bubble away too fast or for too long and you get a rather unpleasant cloudy stock which tastes of glue. (Not that I'm in the habit of tasting - or smelling - glue, I hasten to add . . . )

If I want an extra fishy flavour in, for example a fish pie or a soup or even to make some frozen prawns extra prawny, I simply add a dash of Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce (nam pla). You need to go easy with it - it's a bit like truffle oil, a few drops will do, but it works. Without making your kitchen smell vile.

Oh, and you'll find it much more cheaply if you have a Chinese or other Asian supermarket within reach than you will in your local supermarket.