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Nem Ran (Vietnamese Spring Rolls)

July 12, 2023 - 1637 views

Spring roll has been in the list of must-try dishes in Vietnam. This dish is so popular that you can try it anywhere in Vietnam. No matter which destination you visit, you all get a chance to try this incredible food.

Spring roll is a complicated and mouth-watering dish once you test it, you will want to eat more. It is called “Nem ran” in the north region and "Cha Gio” in the southern one. Spring roll has plenty of ingredients but is not too challenging to prepare at home.

Years ago, the Spring roll was often prepared on some special occasions such as family gatherings or Tet holidays. These days, you can find this delicious dish in many restaurants across Vietnam. It is often served with dipping sauce and sometimes, some types of herbs like lettuce, basil, coriander

Main Ingredients of Spring Roll

The ingredients needed for spring roll may vary a bit from regions to regions and even from families to families. While people in the South want it to be sweeter, people in the central regions usually make it spicier. There is no standard on which ingredients to add to the dish, but the traditional one often includes some ingredients following:

Spring Roll Ingredients

Spring Roll Ingredients

  • Meat: ground pork or crab meat
  • Egg: chicken eggs or duck eggs are alright
  • Vegetables: carrots, bean sprouts, onions
  • Glass noodles (instant noodles are ok), rice paper
  • Others: scallions, salt, garlic, wood ear, abalone mushrooms, or shiitake mushroom

In some areas in Vietnam, the pork can be added with crab meat, making crab spring rolls (Nem cua be). Nem cua be is a great side dish often enjoyed with Bun Cha. 

How to make Spring Rolls?

The first step is to mix ingredients. You must cut them into small pieces so that they can fit in and it will be easier to roll. Wood ear and mushrooms should be deep into before cutting. Mix all the small ingredients with eggs. As the dish is served with dipping sauce, you should add a little salt.

Spring rolls ingredients

Mix ingredients together

Then, put the rice paper in a flat dish and make it moist a little bit so that it will not tear. Get a sufficient amount of the mixture in the rice paper, spread it out in a line, and remember to leave room on each side to wrap. Fold the two sides and roll up till the end of the sheet. The next step is to fry it in boiling water till the rice papers turn golden brown.

How to make spring rolls

Put mixture into the rice paper then fold

How to make spring rolls

Put Spring Rolls into boiling oil

The dipping sauce should be a harmonious combination of fish sauce, lemon juice, sugar, pepper, minced garlic, chili, and small pieces of carrot or papaya.

Where to eat spring roll in Vietnam?

You can find this mouth-watering dish in most restaurants in Vietnam. Sometimes, it is even sold in a small vendor. Please remember that just being served in big restaurants does not necessarily mean that it is great. Many vendors selling tasty spring rolls. Therefore, it will be best if you have a local who will tell you where to enjoy the best Vietnamese cuisine. 

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

However, if you do not have one, you can consider these restaurants below:

  • The chains of Ngon Villa, Home and the Chopsticks in Hanoi, Hoi An, Da Nang, and Sai Gon
  • New Day Restaurant – 72 Ma May Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi
  • Noodle And Roll – 39C Ly Quoc Su Street, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi
  • Wrap And Roll – 62 Hai Ba Trung Street, Ben Nghe, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
  • Propaganda Bistro – 21 Han Thuyen, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City
  • Takashimaya -65 Le Loi, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Spring rolls in Vienam

Spring Rolls is such a great dish

Once traveling to Vietnam, taste all the best dishes here and you will be amazed by how complicated and delicious they are. Spring roll is such a great dish you never want to miss on your vacation.

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