Last Meal: Ca Phao Mam Ruoc Hue

Most people who know me are fully aware of my passion for food, but only a handful know what my last meal would be. In all my previous attempts to answer this question, I've found it very hard to do this dish justice because it usually comes out sounding repulsive to all, but in reality, it's only repulsive to some. So, this post is dedicated to my favorite thing to eat in the entire world: ca phao mam ruoc Hue, which is basically fresh Thai eggplant with shrimp paste dipping sauce. Mam ruoc is more commonly used in the northern and central regions, and mam nem, anchovy paste, is more common in the south. It's a bit more diluted than the European anchovy paste that comes in a metal tube or jar. If you are Southeast Asian, you can probably appreciate this dish. :)


Since these eggplants are eaten raw, you will need to quarter them and soak in cold, salted water for 10 minutes to remove any traces of bitterness and keep the flesh from discoloration. Rinse and drain.


For the dipping sauce, I throw a few cloves of garlic and a couple chilies with a teaspoon of sugar and pound to a pulp. Then I squeeze the juice of one lime and add a big dallop of shrimp paste and whisk together until the sauce is a bit foamy and everything is mixed well. Garnish with some fresh spearmint and serve with hot jasmine rice.


It is strongly advised that one brushes his/her teeth very well after consuming this dish. Flossing and rinsing with Listerine would be even better. Enjoy! :)