Thai Golden Mountain Sauce

All About Thai 'Golden Mountain Sauce'
""Golden Mountain Sauce - sold in tall bottles with a bright green or yellow label

Copyright Darlene A. Schmidt Golden Mountain Sauce is often thought to be a secret ingredient in Thai food, at least here in North America where it is only now becoming known. This sauce has been used for well over a century in Thailand, contributing a special flavor to Thai stir-fries and other dishes. Ingredients: Like soy sauce, golden mountain sauce is composed mainly of fermented soy beans and salt. It tastes quite different from soy sauce, however: slightly saltier, plus there is a hint of sweetness (it does contain sugar). There is no MSG in this sauce, but the Thais do add what they call 'flavor enhancer' in small amounts, and a preservative.

Good for Vegetarians: One of the great things about this sauce is that it is fine for vegetarians and vegans - it even contains a substantial amount of plant protein from fermented soy, which is considered very healthy. For vegetarians who like to cook Thai, this sauce can sometimes work as an adequate substitute for fish sauce, especially in stir-fries and tofu dishes.

Note: Golden Mountain Sauce does contain a small amount of wheat, so it is not recommended for gluten-free diets.

Substitutions: If you're looking for a substitute for golden mountain sauce, I suggest soy sauce mixed with sugar and vegetable or chicken stock (e.g. for every 2 Tbsp. soy sauce, mix with 2 Tbsp. stock, plus 1/4 tsp. sugar.). However, if you're looking for real Thai flavor, I suggest going out and getting yourself a bottle of golden mountain sauce - it will last a long time, as a little goes a long way.

Shopping Tips: You'll find golden mountain sauce in Asian food stores. Look for it in tall bottles - it will likely be shelved alongside Thai fish sauce, and has a bright green or yellow label (see photo above).

Note: When buying this sauce, look for 'naturally fermented' somewhere on the label; otherwise you may be buying hydrolyzed soy protein (used in fake soy sauces) which is unhealthy and even toxic in high levels.