QuickCheck : Did the word ketchup originate from the Hokkien word ‘ke-tsiap’?

EVEN the most empty fridge has a bottle of ketchup, beloved by all ages for its tangy kick, it’s the world’s most popular condiment.

Ketchup is a vital part of American history, closely associated with diners and burger joints.

However, can it actually be true that they originated from asian roots? Could the word ketchup originate from Hokkien?

Verdict:

TRUE

Ketchup traces its origins to the Hokkien Chinese word kê-tsiap, referring to a fermented fish sauce. This sauce, believed to have originated in Vietnam, was introduced to southeastern China by traders.

Over 500 years ago, Fujian province, a thriving hub of Chinese seafaring, became familiar with this Vietnamese fish sauce, now known as nuoc mam in Vietnamese or nam pla in Thai.

Chinese sailors adopted it, calling it ke-tchup in Hokkien, meaning “preserved fish sauce.”

Fujianese settlers later brought this condiment to Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, where its influence evolved, and in Bahasa Indonesia, the term kecap came to mean “sauce.”

By the 18th century, ketchup had reached England, becoming a staple in British cuisine.It referred to various spiced sauces, reflecting the wide availability of global spices like cinnamon, mustard seeds, and cayenne pepper.

The first printed ketchup recipe appeared in Eliza Smith’s 1758 cookbook The Compleat Housewife, where she described a savory chutney made from anchovies, cloves, ginger, and pepper.

However, tomato ketchup faced preservation challenges due to short growing seasons and poor storage.

But in 1876, Dr. Harvey Wiley collaborated with Henry J. Heinz introduced preservative-free ketchup, and by 1905, Heinz was selling five million bottles annually.

Ketchup started as a fermented fish sauce in Southeast Asia and grew into an international staple, reflecting how tastes, food preservation, and cultures have evolved and blended over time.