Published:  14:28 Friday - April 20, 2012

There are many places in Vietnam which are famous about nem chua such as Lai Vung (Dong Thap), Thu Duc (Sai Gon), Dong Ba (Hue) but Ninh Hoa has had its fame of making nem chua for hundreds of years.

There are many places in Vietnam which are famous about nem chua such as Lai Vung (Dong Thap), Thu Duc (Sai Gon), Dong Ba (Hue) but Ninh Hoa has had its fame of making nem chua for hundreds of years. Ninh Hoa town has about ten families who have made nem chua for a very long time.

Nem wrapping requires special technique. Like other kinds of nem, Ninh Hoa nem is lined by vong (vông) leaves, chum giuoc (chum giuộc) or young guava leaves and tightly wrapped by banana leaves. The lining leaves should be wiped by clean towel instead of being washed in water.  

Because of being a sour dish, when wrapping, people must hold close and tight because if let the air in, nem will be mould white, poisonous. When being uncovered, the good nem is always dry, light pink, not sticky while the clumsily-made one is wet, has fading color and tightly stick to the leaves. Ninh Hoa nem has the fresh sour smell that is not too strong or too light, a little sweet, good-smelling of fresh port. 

Nem chua can be kept in maximum 4-5 days if people put enough sugar and salt when grinding pork. To shorten the making time, the amount of sugar and salt is cut off. To keep nem in many days, nem have to be put in the fridge but they must be made 2-3 days ago so that nem is sour enough. However, nem put in fridge should not be kept more than one week because this will make it less delicious.

Nem chua in general or specifically Ninh Hoa nem served with wine or beer will be very interesting. A bowl of spicy chili sauce with a little of sugar and glutamate put more will be an unforgettable spicy, sour, salty, sweet mixture to be served with nem. Someone evenly enjoy it with a piece of dry garlic to feel the pungent taste. 

There is another way to enjoy nem chua that is lining the dish with a rice paper which is a little bit wet, putting the thin slices of nem on it, some mint vegetable, lettuce put above, wrapping the whole one then eating with sauce as well as drinking beer. This way is strange but makes people feel very delicious.    

Furthermore, people also make nem grilled on the hot coals. After the banana leaves layer outside is uncovered, the dish has the good smell of lining leaves and sour smell of nem. Fried nem is a little complicated, nem is beaten slightly flat, put in the hot oil then immediately taken out to remain the sour smell. Nem fried with chicken eggs or pig brain served when being hot is also tasty but it loses the taste of nem chua. Whatever way that nem is served, it’s all delicious but eating it without grilling or frying is the best way. 

Translated by S.F

Source: menu365