Use instead of clam juice

substitutions

I would like to make a "Thai beef with carrot-basil salad" recipe. The sauce for the ground beef includes the following ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1/2 cup clam juice
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce

Is there something I can use instead of clam juice that will have a similar flavor and/or consistency contribution to the recipe? (I'm cooking for somebody who doesn't eat shellfish.)

Best Answer

Fish sauce! I think the clam juice is probably already a substitute for fish sauce anyway, so it should make a very good substitute. (If you look up recipes for Thai beef salad you'll find tons of things with fish sauce, and probably not much with clam juice.)

You probably want to use less, though, maybe starting with 2-4 tablespoons, though I've seen recipes using more.

It should be fine for the dietary restriction too; it's just made with anchovies, not an unknown blend of seafood, but of course check the label just in case.

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