Phu Quoc flavors
Canh Nấm Tràm (Tram Mushroom Soup)
A seasonal soup of purple-capped tràm (melaleuca) mushrooms that sprout in the cajuput forests after the first rains, simmered with shrimp, squid, or chicken. Pleasantly bitter and crunchy.
About this dish
Nấm tràm is a wild mushroom found almost exclusively beneath the cajuput (tràm, or melaleuca) forests that cover much of Phu Quoc, and it appears only for a few short weeks each year, sprouting from the leaf litter after the first heavy rains of the wet season. Islanders fan out to forage the small, dome-capped purple mushrooms by hand, and demand far outstrips the brief supply. Its defining trait is a distinct, clean bitterness paired with a crisp, springy bite — a flavour that takes some getting used to but is treasured by locals, who prize the mushroom for its 'cooling' properties in traditional medicine and add it to porridge, braised fish, and above all a clear soup simmered with shrimp, squid, or chicken. Because it cannot be cultivated and lasts only as long as the rains, a bowl of canh nấm tràm is a true seasonal treat — ask for it between roughly August and November.
Allergen information
Preparation methods may vary by restaurant. Always confirm with staff if you have severe allergies.
Where to try
Home-style eateries (quán cơm) across Dương Đông during rainy season (roughly Aug–Nov)