Ok, hear me out! You may HATE fish sauce and gag at the thought but you have to know the SECRET! The secret of fish sauce is using sugar and/or acid (like lime juice) to offset the "fishy" taste and provides the perfect balance of flavors. You will be left with the deep rich, salty "Thai" flavor of the fish sauce without the yuckiness. It's a key ingredient! TRY IT! I promise you won't be sorry--it's a must in Thai dishes! If you just can't stand the thought of it, you can leave it out or substitute oyster sauce, which also has a similar flavor profile.