Hue Fermented Sauces - Royal Shrimp Paste & Fig with Sour Shrimp

When it comes to Huế's signature fermented condiments, tôm chua (sour shrimp) is one of the most familiar flavours on the family table of the former imperial capital. Not as pungent as some other fermented sauces, sour shrimp is gently sour, moderately salty, mildly spicy and distinctively fragrant, and is usually served as a side dish to make a meal more flavourful.

At HiPs, alongside Huế Sour Shrimp (Mắm Tôm Chua), you can also find Sour Shrimp with Wild Fig (Mắm Vả Tôm Chua) – a combination of sour shrimp and vả fruit, a wild fig that is a very familiar ingredient in Huế cuisine.

Huế Sour Shrimp (Mắm Tôm Chua)

Mắm Tôm Chua is made from fresh shrimp combined with familiar seasonings such as galangal, garlic and chilli, along with ingredients that drive a natural fermentation process. After curing, the shrimp turn a characteristic orange-red, with firm flesh and a gentle sourness.

On tasting, the first note is a rich saltiness, followed by the mild tang of the fermented shrimp, with hints of heat and aromatic spices. The shrimp stay firm and chewy, making them especially appetising with hot steamed rice.

Mắm Tôm Chua is a regular at Huế family meals, served with boiled pork, fresh herbs and vegetables, pickled vegetables or hot rice. Just a little is enough to bring the whole meal to life.

Huế Sour Shrimp with Wild Fig (Mắm Vả Tôm Chua)

If sour shrimp is the familiar flavour, Mắm Vả Tôm Chua offers a truly Huế way of enjoying it by pairing it with vả fruit – a humble wild fig found in many of the region's traditional dishes.

Vả fruit has a nutty, slightly astringent taste and a distinctive texture. Combined with sour shrimp, the nuttiness of the fig balances the salty, sour and spicy notes of the shrimp, creating a more harmonious whole.

Mắm Vả Tôm Chua can be eaten on its own as a side dish or paired with other dishes at mealtime. The rich, spicy and fragrant sour shrimp together with the nutty taste of the fig make a humble yet truly characteristic dish of Huế cuisine.

Two flavours – one taste of Huế

Mắm Tôm Chua delivers the rich, tangy, spicy and fragrant character of shrimp fermented with spices.

Meanwhile, Mắm Vả Tôm Chua adds the signature nuttiness of vả fruit, offering an experience close to the humble dishes found at a traditional Huế family meal.

Both are unpretentious dishes that clearly show the essence of Huế cuisine: making the most of familiar ingredients, layering multiple flavours, and creating dishes that are both bold and harmonious.

Serving suggestions

• Enjoy directly with hot steamed rice.

• Serve with boiled pork, fresh herbs and vegetables, pickled vegetables.

• Can be used as a dip or side dish at family meals.

• Store according to the instructions on the product packaging.

Mắm Tôm Chua and Mắm Vả Tôm Chua at HiPs are small “pieces” of Huế cuisine – humble, familiar flavours with enough character to bring a little taste of Huế to every meal.