A trip to the Northwest of Vietnam wouldn’t be complete without tasting Fern Salad (Nộm Rau Dớn) and Bitter Leaf Soup (Canh Lá Đắng) — two signature dishes of the Thai ethnic people that reflect the authentic spirit of the region.
The Thai people call fern “pắc cút”, a type of edible plant belonging to the Athyriaceae family (Diplazium esculentum), similar to a fern but with larger stems and broad, smooth green fronds covered with soft hairs on the stalk. This plant thrives only in high mountain areas, along the upper reaches of rivers and streams, where the soil remains cool and moist all year round.
Every year, early floods bring nutrient-rich silt that nourishes the fern beds, preparing them to sprout new shoots with the coming of spring. That’s why ferns taste best right after the flood season and throughout springtime. The young fern shoots curl up like tiny elephant trunks, tender and slightly sticky with sap. Only the curled young tops and half-grown leaves are harvested for making the salad.
Making Fern Salad is simple yet delicate. All you need are a few handfuls of fresh fern shoots, roasted and crushed peanuts, lime juice, fresh herbs such as mint and coriander, garlic, chili, and a touch of salt and seasoning powder.
To preserve its unique flavor and bright green color, the ferns are first washed and sun-dried briefly until slightly wilted. They are then steamed in a wooden steamer for about 20 minutes — never boiled — to keep the mild, nutty sweetness of the fern. Once cooked, the ferns are mixed in a large bowl with herbs, lime juice, minced garlic, chili, ginger, salt, and MSG. After marinating for about five minutes, ground roasted peanuts are added, and the dish is ready to serve.
When you taste Fern Salad, you’ll experience the refreshing aroma of local herbs, the tender, nutty flavor of the fern, and a perfect balance of sour, sweet, and spicy notes.
Beyond the salad, the Thai people also prepare stir-fried fern with garlic or fern sautéed with sour bamboo shoot juice — each dish offering its own distinct mountain flavor.
Despite its simple preparation, fern has become not only a signature ingredient of Thai ethnic cuisine but also a specialty found in restaurants across the Northwest. So even if you don’t have the chance to enjoy a home-cooked version by local Thai families, you can still find this dish in regional eateries and savor the authentic taste of the mountains.
In addition to fern salad, the Thai people in Lai Châu Province are also known for another delicacy — Bitter Leaf Soup. Bitter leaves, locally known as “cây vị mật,” grow naturally along forest edges and mountain slopes, though today they are also cultivated in home gardens and upland fields. Because these leaves are rare, the dish is usually reserved for honored guests, symbolizing the host’s warmth and hospitality.
Bitter leaves are valued for their medicinal properties — helping with digestion, reducing intoxication, and relieving body aches. The soup often appears as an appetizer in festive meals or family gatherings.
Each region prepares the dish differently, but in Lai Châu, the Thai people traditionally cook bitter leaves with minced pork lung and pig’s blood curd. The ingredients include fresh or dried bitter leaves, minced lung, coagulated pig’s blood, and a mix of aromatic herbs. Everything is simmered until well cooked, turning the broth a deep dark color.
For first-timers, the bitterness might be intense — almost numbing on the tongue. But by the second spoonful, the taste evolves into a subtle harmony of sweetness, nuttiness, and rich earthiness, blending beautifully with the creamy texture of the lung and the astringency of the blood curd.
The soup tastes especially comforting on a chilly day, paired with a small cup of Hmong corn wine (rượu Mông kê) — the warmth spreading through your body as you savor the complex balance of bitter, sweet, and spicy flavors.
If you ever find yourself traveling through the misty highlands of Northwest Vietnam, don’t miss the chance to try Fern Salad and Bitter Leaf Soup — two humble yet unforgettable dishes that capture the essence of Thai ethnic culinary art and the soul of the mountains.