All About Cà Pháo Muối

Fact: Cà pháo muối is a popular side dish and condiment in all regions of Vietnam.

#111 in Vietnam

Cà Pháo Muối: Basic Information

Pronunciation

/kàː pʰǎːw mūj/ or
/cah fow moo-oy/

Alternative Name(s)

Cà muối

Dish Type

Fermented dishes, condiments and sauces, pickled dishes

Course

Appetizer

Mealtime

Anytime

Popular Variations

Cà Pháo Muối: Origin and Region

Origin

Vietnam

Continent’s Region

Southeast Asia

Country’s Region

Nationwide Origin

Associated Region

Unspecified

Cà Pháo Muối: Ingredients and Preparation

Main Ingredients

Vietnamese eggplants, salt or Vietnamese fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, chili peppers, and garlic

Main Cooking Method

Pickling

Preparation Process

Pickling Vietnamese eggplants in a salty and sour liquid

Cà Pháo Muối: A Deep Dive

Cultural Significance

A staple side dish unique to Vietnamese cuisine

Taste

Salty and sour

Texture

Crisp, crunchy

Aroma

Sour

Color

Off-white

Serving Style

Served with other dishes as a condiment or side.

Serving Temperature

At room temperature

Accompaniment

Rice and traditional Vietnamese dishes

Occasions

On any occasions

Seasons

Year-round

Special Diets

Gluten-free, vegetarian

Calories

Unspecified

Popularity

Vietnam

Popular Similar Dishes

Suan Cai
Torshi
Tsukemono

Popular Dining Area

Local households, supermarkets, grocery stores

Cà pháo muối, or cà muối, is a Vietnamese dish prepared by pickling Vietnamese eggplants (Solanum macrocarpon) in a salty and sour liquid.

The pickling liquid consists of salt or Vietnamese fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, chili pepper, garlic, and additional spices like ginger or lesser galangal (Alpinia officinarum).

There are two main ways to prepare cà pháo muối: muối xổi (quick pickling) and muối chua (literally “fermented pickling”).

Muối xổi only takes 1 – 2 days to prepare, while muối chua can take 1.5 – 2 weeks to be ready. Generally, muối chua is considered a safer method.

Unripe Vietnamese eggplants contain toxins, so only ripe ones are good for pickling. Crunchy and savory cà pháo muối is a popular dish to serve with rice, boiled vegetables (especially water spinach), boiled pork, etc.

Nevertheless, this Vietnamese specialty shouldn’t be consumed in large quantities.

I will introduce you to the method of making cà pháo muối as well as the advantages and disadvantages of this dish. Next, I will delve into common concerns about this dish and suggest similar dishes.

Key Points

Cà pháo muối is a Vietnamese dish made by pickling Vietnamese eggplants.
Cà pháo muối has a crunchy texture and a salty and tangy flavor.
Locals usually pair cà pháo muối with rice and traditional Vietnamese dishes.
Although cà pháo muối has many health benefits, its regular or excessive consumption can lead to health complications.

How to Make Cà Pháo Muối?

The preparation of cà pháo muối involves the following 4 steps.

Step	Instruction
Cleaning the Vietnamese eggplants	Cutting off the stems of the Vietnamese eggplants Soaking them in lightly salted water for a few hours Letting the Vietnamese eggplants drain Cutting the Vietnamese eggplants in half (optional)
Preparing the pickling liquid	Mincing or slicing finely the herbs and spices Boiling fish sauce, sugar, salt, and vinegar in water over low heat
Assembling cà pháo muối	Layering the Vietnamese eggplants with the herbs and spices or mixing everything carefully in a glass jar Pouring the pickling liquid into the jar and ensuring that the eggplants are completely submerged
Pickling cà pháo muối	Putting the jar in the fridge Leaving the jar alone for 1 – 2 days (muối xổi) or 1.5 – 2 weeks (muối chua)

As I mentioned above, pickling cà pháo muối for only 1 – 2 days can lead to many negative effects and limit the benefit of this dish. Read on for an in-depth look at the upsides and downsides of cà pháo muối.

Pros and Cons of Eating Cà Pháo Muối

Cà pháo muối has the following benefits and challenges.

Pros

Appetite Stimulant: Pickling enhances the flavor of cà pháo muối, giving it a unique sour and salty taste that improves the overall flavor of the meal.
Preservation: The pickling process extends the shelf life of Vietnamese eggplants, allowing them to be stored for longer periods.
Digestive Health: As pickled foods, cà pháo muối contain probiotics that greatly improve gut health.
Nutritional Value: Cà pháo muối is rich in fiber and vitamins while generally low in calories.
Low Calorie Count: Pickled vegetables are generally low in calories.

Cons

High Sodium Content: Cà pháo muối is considerably high in sodium and may not be suitable for individuals seeking to reduce their salt intake.
Toxin Concern: There are risks of getting food poisoning from cà pháo muối if it is made with unripe Vietnamese eggplants or improperly pickled.
Acidity: The high acidity of cà pháo muối may lead to dental erosion or gastrointestinal discomfort in some individuals.
Limited Availability: Finding authentic cà pháo muối outside Vietnam can be a challenging task.

Cà pháo muối is a healthy dish for many people but unsafe for others. I will tell you about who should or shouldn’t eat this Vietnamese pickled dish and other facts in the FAQs section.

Cà Pháo Muối FAQs

Pregnant women, young children, and people with high blood pressure, kidney disease, stomach disorders, or other conditions that require reduced salt intake should abstain from cà pháo muối.

You can apply the following tips to ensure your cà pháo muối has a nice crunch: choosing fresh medium-sized Vietnamese eggplants, dehydrating the eggplants lightly before pickling them, making sure the pickling liquid isn’t too salty, soaking the eggplants completely in the pickling liquid, and pickling the eggplants for a sufficient amount of time.

The bitterness in cà pháo muối can come from the use of unripe Vietnamese eggplants or bacterial contamination. Either way, bitter cà pháo muối is unsafe and must be discarded immediately.

Yes, cà pháo muối can be prepared with rice water instead of regular water.

The amount of cà pháo muối that one individual can safely consume varies according to age and health conditions, but a healthy adult shouldn’t eat more than a few pickled Vietnamese eggplants per day.

No, consuming cà pháo muối on a daily basis isn’t recommended due to the high sodium content of the dish.

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Truc Tran (Kris)

Senior Food Editor

Expertise

Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Recipe Development, Baking and Pastry, Food Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Vietnamese Food Evaluation Expert

Education

Hospitality (Commercial Cookery) at TasTAFE
Culinary Arts at Kendall College (Australia Branch in Sydney)
Vietnamese Cuisine Head Chef at HNAAu School (Vietnam, International Joint Training Program)

Truc Tran (Kris), an experienced food writer and editor, is great at exploring and describing global cuisines, from simple street food to fancy dining. In her writing, she skillfully mixes different flavors, cooking methods, and culinary traditions, showing the unique character of various cultures through their food and drinks. On azcuisines.com, Kris highlights her knowledge, especially in Asian cuisine and worldwide traditional dishes.