Mắm tôm chua is a traditional side dish or condiment originating from Hue. This local specialty consists of lightly fermented shrimp in reddish sauce. Although the shrimps are fermented, visually they often look fresh. The shrimps are rinsed, their heads are removed, and they are then marinated in rice wine, strained, and mixed with galangal, bamboo, garlic, red chilis, fish sauce, and sticky rice.

The combination is placed into a ceramic jar where it ferments for 7 to 10 days. Later on, mắm tôm chua is often mixed with honey, and maybe a bit more galangal for extra flavor. These fermented shrimps are traditionally served as an accompaniment to thinly sliced boiled pork, sautéed bean sprouts, local figs, or boiled water spinach.