on (non-)vegetarian condiments

[itrytobe]

nowadays i try to be mostly vegetarian — or maybe flexitarian is more accurate, because i may eat meat when i'm visiting someone. at home i've been more or less pescetarian, but i'm phasing fish out as well. i'll use up the oyster sauce i still have, because throwing it away would be a waste too, but i find that real oyster sauce is very replaceable; vegetarian oyster sauce does just fine. however, the one thing i don't think i'll ever give up is fish sauce (nước mắm). if i need to make a dish vegetarian or vegan for a dinner guest, it can be replaced with Chinese light soy sauce and the dish will turn out all right, but it's really not the same.