Want to spice up your tuna sandwich so that it doesn't have the same old boring ingredients? You're in luck! Adding this liquid ingredient will make your sandwich a whole lot tastier — and we're not talking about lemon juice!
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00Want to spice up your tuna sandwich so that it doesn't have the same old boring ingredients?
00:04You're in luck. Adding this liquid ingredient will make your sandwich a whole lot tastier,
00:08and we're not talking about lemon juice. We've all experienced this at some point.
00:12You make tuna salad for a sandwich, taste it, and feel like it's missing something.
00:16You think long and hard about what this mystery missing ingredient is before going ahead and
00:20building the sandwich anyway, or adding various seasonings and condiments to fill in that flavor
00:24gap. The good news is that you can fix this tuna sandwich dilemma in no time by including fish
00:29sauce in your creamy salad base. Fish sauce is a staple condiment in Asian cuisine that can do it
00:34all. From marinades to stir-fries, this ingredient adds an extra layer of savoriness you didn't know
00:39you needed. This is also true for tuna sandwiches, since fish sauce's umami balances the mild canned
00:45tuna, tangy mayonnaise, and other ingredients, creating a mouth-watering sandwich filling.
00:50As you've probably already guessed, fish sauce is made using fish — anchovies, to be specific.
00:55The anchovies undergo a process of salting and fermentation in barrels for months or even years.
01:00It's worth the wait, though, as the liquid becomes what we know as fish sauce.
01:04"'What's the sauce with the fish?'
01:06In a tuna sandwich, fish sauce takes the savoriness up a notch without overshadowing
01:10the other salad ingredients. Would you think it was fish sauce if you did a blind taste test?
01:15Probably not. But that's okay, because the goal is a tuna salad that doesn't require
01:19tasting and seasoning a few times to get right. Fish sauce is available in the international aisle
01:24of most grocery stores, so buy a bottle to make this lunchtime classic even more flavorful.
01:29Now that you know the secret to an irresistible tuna sandwich, go light,
01:33as adding too much could give the mixture a salty and fishy taste.
01:36A dash of the condiment is just enough to create a perfectly savory tuna salad made
01:41with classic ingredients such as onions, parsley, and celery. However, fish sauce
01:46also comes in handy when preparing tuna salad with a twist. Try putting an Asian-inspired spin
01:51on the salad by adding chilies, scallions, and cilantro to the mayonnaise base. Or forgo the
01:56mayo for a Mediterranean-style tuna salad with olives, roasted bell peppers, cucumbers,
02:02and vinaigrette. No matter the preparation, a little bit of fish sauce and creativity go a
02:06long way for a flavor-packed tuna sandwich filling. Just be sure to store that opened
02:10bottle of fish sauce in a cool, dark place to maintain its flavor and color.
02:14Although fish sauce does wonders for amping up your tuna salad,
02:17other ingredients can have a similar effect. Soy sauce, chopped anchovies or anchovy paste,
02:23and monosodium glutamate, or MSG, are rich in umami, the savory flavor profile that will
02:29turn your tuna salad from ordinary to extraordinary. You'll want to be careful
02:33when mixing in these umami-rich ingredients so they perfectly complement the rich tuna
02:38and tangy condiments.
02:39This is good-tasting tuna."
02:41If you want to deepen the flavors, let the prepared tuna salad rest in the fridge until
02:45you're ready to enjoy it. If your lunch cravings simply cannot wait, however,
02:49build that tuna sandwich right away. Slather the tuna filling onto a slice of your favorite bread,
02:54top with lettuce, tomatoes, or any add-ins of your choice, and close with another bread slice.
02:59You know what to do next. Dig into your homemade
03:02tuna sandwich that rivals anything you could get from a deli.