During fig season, the trees are laden with fruit, clusters of figs growing densely together. Phuoc Tich figs are large, round, and flat, with a beautiful red and pink flesh. The fig trees are short but have unusually thick trunks, and their leaves spread out like taro leaves. The shade of the tree silently covers a large area of the garden, providing a cool, refreshing coolness during the sweltering summer afternoons. Watching the fig season arrive, with clusters of fruit clinging freely to the base of the tree, is a delightful sight, truly pleasing to the eye.
Vegetarian fig salad
When visiting Phuoc Tich, few can resist the many delicious dishes made from figs. Figs picked from the garden are briefly boiled to remove the bitterness, boiling them quickly to prevent the bitter sap from being released. They are then immediately soaked in cold water to maintain their crisp texture. Next, they are thinly sliced and mixed with pig's ears and Vietnamese coriander. This makes fig salad; those who want a more elaborate dish can eat it with rice paper. The crunchy texture of the pig's ears and the crispness of the figs captivate many hearts.
On the 15th or 1st day of the lunar month, a vegetarian meal in Hue is almost always complete with fig salad mixed with peanuts. Figs are simply mixed with Vietnamese coriander and roasted peanuts, yet it's wholesome, easy to eat, and goes well with rice. A simple but refreshing dish, distinctly Hue in character.
On hot summer days, a quick and refreshing snack is still raw figs dipped in Hue-style shrimp paste. The figs are cut into wedges, the outer skin is carefully scraped off, and then washed clean. Raw figs must be accompanied by shrimp paste, especially Hue-style shrimp paste. A bowl of shrimp paste with its distinctive aroma, mixed with plenty of chopped chili peppers, is the authentic taste of Central Vietnam in general, and Hue in particular. Sitting beside a plate of raw figs and a bowl of shrimp paste, dipping and savoring the aroma, is an indescribable joy.
For cuisine to reach its true essence, a truly delicious experience requires a harmonious blend of flavors. Eating seafood without fig leaves is simply not satisfying. Especially squid, or the ever-popular sea bream from the Tam Giang lagoon – no matter how delicious or fresh, without fig leaves, it lacks a rich, savory flavor. Thin slices of fig leaves paired with sea bream, dipped generously in shrimp paste – the flavors of the brackish lagoon, the local produce, and the shrimp paste of the coastal region all complement each other, creating an unforgettable taste.
Returning to Phuoc Tich on a sweltering summer afternoon, I was invited by an aunt in the village to have dinner with a hearty meal of rustic, locally grown dishes. She warmly said, "Try the fig salad. How can you come to Phuoc Tich this season without trying it?"
With a piece of mixed fig salad, I hear the stirrings of my homeland.
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