Mắm: Bring The Vietnamese Cuisine To The Next Level  

Vietnamese cuisine is always diverse and rich, attracting the curiosity of foreign tourists to explore a unique and delicious culinary culture. In the journey of discovering Vietnamese cuisine, you will surely come across dishes with strong flavors that may be initially challenging to adapt to, and it’s called Mắm. Mắm is commonly used as a Vietnamese dipping sauce or seasoning to enhance the taste of dishes. Let’s continue exploring the world of Mắm with VLS!

Mắm Tôm (Shrimp Paste)

Mắm tôm, a specialty of the northern region, has a very distinctive flavor. It is made from shrimp and undergoes fermentation, resulting in a deep purple color and a strong, characteristic aroma. The Vietnamese language even has the phrase “mùi mắm tôm” to describe its smell. Many people enjoy mắm tôm, while others cannot stand to be near it.

Mắm tôm can be consumed raw as a dipping sauce, mixed with white wine and lime juice to reduce its pungent odor. It can also be used with vermicelli noodles, creating the famous and delicious dish called “bún đậu mắm tôm,” or enhancing the flavor of dishes like bún riêu (crab noodle soup) or bún thang (Hanoi chicken combo noodle soup).

Mắm Nêm (Vietnamese fermented anchovy sauce)

Mắm nêm is a fermented product made by marinating small fish (referred to as “nêm”) with various ingredients such as pineapple, sugar, and thính (a Vietnamese spice made from rice powder). Mắm nêm is commonly used in Central Vietnamese cuisine to enhance the rich flavor of dishes. It can be used as a sauce for dishes like bún mắm nêm (rice noodles with pork and anchovy fish sauce) or as a dipping sauce for Vietnamese rolls such as bánh tráng cuốn thịt heo (rice paper rolls with pork) and gỏi cuốn (spring rolls).

Mắm Cá Linh (Fermented Henicorhynchus Fish Sauce)

Similar to mắm nêm, mắm cá linh is made from a type of henicorhynchus found in the southwestern region of Vietnam. Mắm cá linh has a slight sweetness from sugar, saltiness from salt, and a rich taste from the fish, creating an extremely delicious flavor. One of the most famous dishes that you should not miss when traveling to the Mekong Delta is the Lẩu mắm cá linh, a dish that combines various specialty fish and vegetables from the region, cooked in a broth infused with mắm cá linh, resulting in a rich and flavorful taste.

Mắm Ruốc (Vietnamese Fermented Shrimp Paste)

Ruốc, in Vietnamese, means small shrimp and it is fermented for 7 to 9 months with various meticulous steps. Mắm ruốc has a fragrant flavor, not as strong as mắm tôm, it is not overly salty and has a pinkish-red color. In Vietnamese, there is a color called “màu ruốc” referring to the beautiful pinkish-red color. When shopping for clothes, “màu ruốc” is suitable for all genders and easy to mix and match. Mắm ruốc is often used as an ingredient in dishes such as braised pork with mắm ruốc, bánh tráng mắm ruốc (grilled rice paper with fermented shrimp paste) or used as a delicious Vietnamese dipping sauce when paired with unripe mango.

Mắm Tôm Chua (Pickled Shrimp)

Another type of fermented shrimp paste is mắm tôm chua, which is also a special delicacy in Huế alongside mắm ruốc. This dish is made from fresh shrimp that is then fermented with vinegar. Unlike the salty brown mắm tôm with ground shrimp, mắm tôm chua has a red color and whole fresh shrimps, with a sweet and sour taste and a slight spiciness from ginger and chili, making it more pleasant and easier to eat than mắm tôm. Mắm tôm chua is used as a Vietnamese dipping sauce for boiled meat dishes and is often purchased as a gift when traveling to Huế.

Mắm Rươi (Fermented Rươi Paste)

Rươi is a unique delicacy with a soft texture, resembling earthworms, and it only appears in certain areas like Hải Phòng and Hải Dương during the lunar months of September, October, and November. Rươi is often used to make various dishes, including fermented rươi paste, thanks to its high nutritional value and delightful flavor. In the northern region, rươi is processed into a thick paste by combining it with citrus peels, ginger, roasted salt, glutinous rice wine, and toasted rice. This rare and sought-after dish is highly popular during the rươi season. Fermented rươi paste is enjoyed as a dipping sauce or simply eaten with rice.

The meticulous preparation of various types of mắm over time has elevated Vietnamese cuisine to the next level. Through these small condiments that are often used as dipping sauces or flavor enhancers, we can witness the investment and culinary artistry of the Vietnamese people. Vietnamese dishes has much more to discover, and this journey of exploring Vietnamese cuisine will be easier if you understand the language, as it is the key to unlocking knowledge about culture, history, and the people that shape Vietnamese cuisine. Enroll in the Vietnamese language course offered by Vietnamese Language Studies today, and let us assist you in your exploration of Vietnam and its culinary delights.