[Fvmfrctt]

Sparky, that balaa you refer to is almost a main stay of the thai/lao diet. Yes, fermented fish. Quite often thai/lao with eat only rice, a little balaa and a bit of a veggie for a meal. It is and does have a remarkably nasty smell. I know about it well. Wife and son go fishing for fresh water fish and the wife ferments this stuff. Longer fermented, better the taste they say. Got about 200 pounds of the stuff in 8... 5 gallon drums. got em in a storage area in the back end of the yard. Some thai/lao around here have a thousand pounds of the stuff fermenting in their garage or yards.