If you visit Hanoi, you’ll definitely spot a jar of pickled garlic on the tables of all Phở vendors, especially those serving Beef Phở. It beautifully balances the rich flavor of the beef broth.
This is Giấm Tỏi (or Tỏi Ngâm Giấm). Making this condiment is much easier than you might think. It’s not only perfect for Phở but also incredibly versatile in Vietnamese cooking.
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Pickled Garlic – The Essential Condiment for Northern Phở
Hanoi’s street food is legit.
Some dishes are unparalleled elsewhere, such as Bún Chả (rice noodles with grilled pork), Cà Phê Trứng (egg coffee), Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm (rice noodles with fried tofu and shrimp paste), Chả Cá Thăng Long (turmeric fish with dill) or Bánh Cuốn (steamed rice rolls).
For Phở, I’m a big big fan of Chicken Phở in Hanoi (I even have a recipe for Hanoi-style Instant Pot Chicken Phở for when I crave it in Germany). When it comes to Beef Phở, I’m a bit biased toward the Southern version.
Northern and Southern Phở differ quite significantly, each with its own set of accompaniments.
Hanoians are quite traditional with their Phở. They prefer to keep the condiments minimal to preserve the broth’s original flavor—no hoisin sauce, no popular Phở herbs, and no blanched bean sprouts.
Instead, they lightly season Phở with fish sauce, homemade fermented chili sauce, lime, or this pickled garlic (giấm tỏi).
Giấm Tỏi means “Garlic Vinegar” in Vietnamese. Initially, I wasn’t too impressed by this condiment, but after making it at home, I got hooked. Now, I add it to any kind of noodle soup to balance the broth (much like I do with this lemongrass chili oil if I want an extra kick)
Ingredients
- Garlic: I use small softneck garlic from Lý Sơn island (the garlic and onion kingdom in Vietnam). You can use any garlic in your kitchen. Avoid using young and new garlic (I’ll explain why later).
- Red chili (optional): I use Thai chili, but you can opt for goat horn chili or jalapeño if you prefer less heat.
- Rice vinegar
- Salt and sugar
Instructions
- Sterilize the glass jar and its lid (note that metal lids may rust due to the vinegar).
- Thinly slice or dice the garlic into small cubes. If your garlic has small cloves like mine, you can skip this step.
- Thinly slice the chili.
- Boil a pot of water and blanch the garlic and chili for 30 seconds.
- In the jar, pickle the garlic and chili in a brine of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.
- Keep it in the fridge overnight before using.
Troubleshooting Tips
If your pickled garlic turns green or blue, don’t worry. This is a normal chemical reaction between the sulfur compounds in garlic and the acid. The younger the garlic, the more likely this is to happen. To avoid this, use mature garlic and blanch it to reduce the sulfur content, or soak the garlic slices/cubes in water overnight.
Green or blue pickled garlic is still safe to eat. In fact, jade green pickled garlic, known as Laba Garlic (腊八蒜), is beloved in Northern China. The green color indicates that the garlic is young and fresh.
How to enjoy Giấm Tỏi
Beyond Phở, Giấm Tỏi is fantastic with any noodle soups such as:
It’s also perfect for noodle salads or dry noodles like:
Use Giấm Tỏi to make dipping sauces, truly a game changer:
Other Vietnamese Pickles
In Vietnam, main dishes are often served with a side of pickles or a generous amount of fresh fragrant herbs (Rau Thơm in Vietnamese).
These accompaniments help balance the flavors and keep the meal appetizing, especially when the main dishes are rich or greasy.
Here are some popular pickle side dishes in Vietnam:
Pickled Carrots & Daikon (Đồ Chua): A popular pickle in Southern cuisine. You can find it everywhere, from Bánh Mì and Bánh Xèo (crispy pancakes) to Cơm Tấm (broken rice platter).
Pickled Mustard Greens (Dưa Chua): A must-have side dish for Thịt Kho Trứng (braised pork and eggs) and Cá Kho (caramelized fish), or made into mustard green soup.
Pickled Eggplants (Cà Muối): Another popular side dish.
Pickled Cabbage (Dưa Bắp Cải Muối): Also great with Thịt Kho Trứng and Cá Kho.
Pickled Shallots (Dưa Hành/Hành Ngâm Chua): A beloved pickle during Tết holidays. It’s also popular in Danang and Hoi An, accompanying Hoi An Chicken Rice, Bún Bò Huế (Hue spicy beef noodle soup), and Mì Quảng (turmeric noodle soup).
Pickled Vegetables in Fish Sauce (Dưa Món): Another popular Tết side dish, excellent with Bánh Chưng (square sticky rice cake) and Bánh Tét (cylindrical sticky rice cake).
Vietnamese Pickled Garlic For Phở (Giấm Tỏi)
Ingredients
- 1.7 oz peeled garlic (50g)
- 3 Thai chilies (optional)(to your taste)
- ½ US Cup rice vinegar (120ml)
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
Instructions
- Sterilize the glass jar and lid, keeping in mind that metal lids might rust from the vinegar.
- Slice or dice the garlic into small pieces. If the cloves are small (like mine), you can skip this step.
- Thinly slice the chilies, too.
- Boil water and blanch the garlic and chili for 30 seconds.
- Pack the garlic and chili into the jar and cover them with a brine made of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt.
- Refrigerate overnight before using.
