Overview

Anchovies are a family (Engraulidae) of small, oily saltwater forage fish found in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. There are 144 species across 17 genera, with the European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and the Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) being the most commercially significant. Anchovies are prized for their intense umami flavor, which deepens dramatically through salt-curing, fermentation, and drying.

Origin and history

Anchovies have been harvested and preserved by coastal civilizations for millennia. The ancient Romans produced a fermented anchovy sauce called garum, which was a staple condiment across the empire [1]. In East and Southeast Asia, salt-fermented anchovy sauces developed independently, predating soy sauce in southern coastal China [4]. The fish’s small size and oily flesh made it ideal for salt-curing and sun-drying, techniques that allowed anchovies to travel inland as a protein and flavor source. By the 19th century, European anchovy curing centers in the Mediterranean (especially Collioure, France, and the Cantabrian coast of Spain) had established international trade networks for salted and oil-packed anchovies [1].

Varieties and aliases

  • European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) — Mediterranean and Atlantic; the classic tinned anchovy
  • Japanese anchovy (Engraulis japonicus) — used for niboshi (dried anchovy dashi) and fish sauce
  • Northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax) — Pacific coast of North America
  • Dilis — Tagalog name for fresh or dried anchovies in the Philippines [2]
  • Monamon — Ilocano name for a specific anchovy species used in bagoong isda [2]
  • Myeolchi (멸치) — Korean name for anchovy, used fresh, dried, and fermented
  • Niboshi / iriko (煮干し / いりこ) — Japanese dried anchovies for dashi
  • Anchoa — Spanish name for anchovy
  • Acciuga — Italian name for anchovy

Culinary uses

Anchovies are used in three primary forms: fresh, cured (salt-packed or oil-packed), and fermented (sauce or paste). Cured anchovies are a foundational umami ingredient in Mediterranean cuisine, appearing in Caesar salad dressing, puttanesca sauce, bagna càuda, and Provençal tapenade [1]. In East Asia, dried anchovies (niboshi) are simmered to make dashi, the broth base for miso soup and noodle dishes [3]. Fermented anchovy sauce is the defining condiment of Vietnamese cooking (nước mắm), the base of Filipino patis, and a key seasoning in Thai and Cambodian cuisines. In Korea, small dried anchovies (jiri-myeolchi) are stir-fried with soy syrup and sesame to make myeolchi-bokkeum, a common banchan, and whole anchovies are used to build broth for doenjang jjigae and tteokbokki. In the Philippines, anchovies are fermented into bagoong isda, a pungent paste used as a cooking base and dipping condiment [2].

Cross-cuisine context

Anchovy-based fermented sauces represent a striking case of convergent culinary evolution across multiple continents. The Roman garum, Vietnamese nước mắm, Filipino patis, Thai nam pla, and Korean eo-ganjang all rely on salt-fermented anchovies to produce a clear, protein-rich liquid seasoning [4]. The functional parallel between these sauces is so close that they can often substitute for one another in cooking, though flavor profiles differ based on fermentation duration, salt ratio, and anchovy species.

In the Mexican culinary context, there is no direct analogue to the anchovy as a whole fish or cured product. Mexican cuisine uses small dried fish (charales) in some regions, but charales are typically freshwater fish (Chirostoma species) from Lake Pátzcuaro and are not salt-cured or fermented in the same manner. The umami function of anchovy in Mexican cooking is more commonly served by dried shrimp, fish sauce in Chinese-influenced dishes, or by the natural glutamates in tomatoes and masa. Comparison-by-function: Filipino bagoong isda and Mexican fermented seafood preparations (such as fermented shrimp from the Gulf coast) share a similar role as a salty, funky umami backbone, though the specific fish species and fermentation techniques differ [2].

Notes for cooks

  • Salt-packed anchovies require rinsing and filleting before use; oil-packed anchovies are ready to use straight from the tin.
  • Dried anchovies for dashi should be gutted and heads removed to reduce bitterness; the Japanese term for this preparation is niboshi.
  • Anchovy paste in a tube is a shelf-stable convenience product but has a milder, less complex flavor than whole cured anchovies.