When ripe, this fruit turns a deep red, filled with glistening nectar and a sweet, fragrant taste. Its green form, sliced thin, is commonly served with boiled pork or tossed into sweet-and-sour salads, making it a beloved delicacy across Vietnam.
The unripe fig has a round, flat shape, filled with sap and bitterness. Photo: Hoai Phuong, Nhi Truong

Known locally as va, this small tree thrives naturally in forests, riverbanks, and streams, mainly in mountainous regions from north to south Vietnam. Its roots are used medicinally, while the leaves and fruit are culinary staples.

While the fig can be harvested wild, many communities have also cultivated it successfully - particularly in Hue, where the fruit has become a local economic asset. Hue’s va was named one of the “Top 100 Vietnamese Specialty Gifts” for 2020–2021.

The fig, also known as qua ngoa, resembles a wild fig but is much larger - about the size of an adult’s fist. It has a green, fuzzy skin and a white or pink inner layer, depending on the variety. When ripe, the fruit turns crimson, bursting with translucent nectar and a mellow, sweet fragrance.

My Chi, a resident of Hue, shared that the fig season stretches from December through July, with occasional fruit appearing in other months. Figs grow in clusters at the tree’s base or on leafless branches, hanging in abundance.

Ripe figs can be eaten fresh like other fruits. The flesh is tender and mildly sweet, with a jelly-like nectar that is both fragrant and refreshing.
Ripe figs are visually appealing and brimming with honey-like nectar. Photo: Phuong Khen

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Fig salad is a cool, familiar specialty in Hue. Photo: Thuy Huynh

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Fig salad served with crispy rice crackers. Photo: Nhi Truong

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Fig salad served with grilled rice crackers. Photo: Nhi Truong
Various dishes made from fig fruit. Photo: Tran Thu, Quang Nguyen

These sweet figs are often soaked in alcohol or made into delicious jams. “Though tasty, ripe figs should not be eaten in excess or on an empty stomach to avoid dizziness,” Chi noted.

In Hue and elsewhere, green figs are widely used in cooking, starring in tangy pickles, braised fish, shrimp soup, pork rib stew, and most famously, in salad-style goi dishes.

Among them, va tron banh trang (fig salad with rice cracker) is a staple. Easy to make, refreshing, and flavorful, it is a popular summer dish that cools the body and cuts through greasy meals.

Chi explains that the best fig salad uses half-ripe figs - firm but not too green. The skin is peeled, and the fruit is soaked in light saltwater to keep it crisp and prevent browning, then sliced thin.

Depending on preference and ingredients at hand, the fig can be mixed with fresh herbs, crushed peanuts, or enhanced with boiled pork or shrimp. While the dressing can be a basic sweet-and-sour fish sauce, it’s more authentic with fermented shrimp paste (mam ruoc), chili, garlic, lime juice, and sugar - staples in Hue cuisine.

A true Hue fig salad must be eaten with grilled sesame rice crackers. The crunch of the cracker with the juicy fig mixture delivers a full sensory experience.

Another beloved preparation is simply serving green figs with boiled pork and dipping sauce - either mam ruoc or fermented anchovy paste (mam ca ro).

This humble yet flavorful dish pairs the slight astringency of fig with the saltiness of the sauce and the richness of pork, making it the perfect comfort food, especially in the heat of summer.

Thao Trinh