These Sunlee Sardines in Tomato Sauce came from one of a handful of Asian markets I've been patronizing recently, in search of both tinned fish and chili crisps. They appear to be among a trio of brands commonly sold in Asian markets, at least the ones around here, that includes Sumaco and Marock. These Sunlee differ in that they are sourced from Thailand, and are a Western Pacific variety of sardine, Sardinops sagax. Of the three, these were the cheapest at $1.39.
Initial impression upon opening the can: 4.6/5.
It looks like there's some room for another fish in there. I see no scales nor tails, but that's common with these Western Pacific sardines. There's not much in the way of aroma. The sauce has a pallid caste to it, and a very homogenous texture. No oil has separated. A sip of it is unsurprisingly bland.
Here We Go
Digging them out, they are tender enough to start to break when lifted with a fork. I'm surprised to find there are actually five fish in there. This type is more slender than a pilchard, so they're apparently easier to fit in this deeper tin. I still think one more could have squeezed in.
There was quite a bit of sauce left in the tin, and I poured about half over the fish and rice. It's thin and watery.
The meat yields easily to the fork, and is moist and tender. I can't say if the strange flavor note I'm getting is from the fish or the sauce. Probably the latter. The salt level is a moderate 340mg. sodium, and isn't adding anything to the mix.
A look at the ingredients reveals no oil used in the packing sauce. "Thickening agents" including modified tapioca starch and sodium carboxymethylcellulose are responsible for any body it might have. Tomato paste, sugar, salt and paprika as a coloring agent provide the main flavor and appearance. All in all, just kind of blah.
I finished three fish before hauling out some Mishima Chef Troy's Recipe Crunchy Garlic Chili Sauce. It, like this fish, is also from Thailand, so I hoped for some type of synergy. At the least, it perked up some otherwise blandly seasoned sardines.
Main Takeaways
- No scales or tails
- Tender, moist fish
- Uninspired tomato sauce
I tend to think these inexpensive sardines in tomato sauce could easily up their game and their sales numbers by simply packing in a spicy tomato sauce instead, as other more premium brands have done successfully. If it added another ten cents to the cost, I don't think anyone would care.
Brand: Thai Lee Foods / Sunlee
Description: Sardines in tomato sauce
Species: Sardinops sagax
Country of Origin: Thailand
Source: FAO71, Western Central Pacific
Skin/Bones: Yes/Yes
Net Wt: 4.4 oz.
Price Range: <$2