Among the local population, Koi Pla is considered a salad that consists of minced raw fish, lemon juice, herbs, and spices. It is especially popular in the Isaan region of Thailand and Laos.

Tod mun pla, or fried fish cakes, is a popular dish from Thailand. The best I’ve eaten were in Bangkok, where a street food vendor was frying them as fast as she could for a line of eager customers.

While brininess and a pungent scent are the defining characteristics of both, Vietnamese fish sauce (also known as nuoc mam) is lighter than its Thai counterpart, nam pla. This, of course ...