Nem Nuong/ Grilled Pork Spring Rolls

I've been on an ongoing spring roll 'kick' recently. I just can't get enough of them! I'm working my way through making every kind imaginable and in existence. My newest conquest? The nem nuong or grilled, cured pork roll. It's delicious and if you live in the Southern California area, you've probably heard of Brodard.

Brodard is a restaurant which is famous for these little rolls. They've perfected it almost down to an art. And to top it off, have created a dipping sauce that no one has ever come close to mastering or even replicating. Now mine are no where near Brodard's, BUT they are still delicious to boot. Served with a traditional 'nuoc cham' they are still a healthy and satisfying lunch.

I found the recipe from The Ravenous Couple, a blog I love! I basically use this blog to dust off my Vietnamese cooking skills, because when I grow up and have a family, I need to learn how to make this stuff! Just because I sadly, cannot speak Vietnamese doesn't mean that all of my culture has to go down the drain! This recipe isn't at all complicated; sure, there are some steps involved but if you take it one at a time, I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results AND if you happen to live near a Vietnamese grocery store, they also sell pre-cured pork that you can just grill yourself!

Nem Nuong Cuon/ Spring Rolls with Grilled Pork Patties

Yields: enough for 5 - 8 people

Original recipe can be found here.

For the crispy chive rolls (optional):

Chives

Egg roll wrappers

1 egg

2 tbsn. water

For the nem nuong patties:

2 lbs. ground pork

2 heads of garlic, peeled and separated into cloves (use more or less to your taste)

1/3 cup sugar

1 tbsn. salt

1 tbsn. pepper

4 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup water

1 package of rice paper wrappers

Lettuce

Cucumbers, sliced into thin rectangles (1x2 inches)

Mint

Cilantro

Pickled carrots & daikon (optional)

Nuoc Cham, for dipping

First, to make the crispy chive rolls, mix the egg and water and beat well, set aside. Take your chives and cut then in half, to make them short enough to fit inside the egg roll wrapper. Take an egg roll wrapper and place some chives (about 5 - 6) near the top of the paper and then roll downwards to form a cigarette. Use some egg wash at the bottom to seal it all together. Deep fry until golden brown, drain and set aside.

To make the nem nuong patties, using a food processor, process the garlic until it is a fine puree. Combine the pork, garlic, salt, pepper and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine the baking powder and water and stir. Add it to the pork and fold in, then chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Form the refrigerated meat mixture into patties or mini sausages (sausages are easier to roll in the spring rolls). Keep a bowl of water handy to keep your hands wet in order to help with forming the meat. Grill the meat until cooked, about 4 - 5 minutes per side.

To make the spring rolls, have all of your veggies ready. Grab a large bowl of warm water and have it ready for the wrappers. Take a rice paper wrapper and moisten in the warm water. Tap off any excess water and then place on a flat surface. Place some lettuce, cucumber, a fried chive roll, and pickled carrot/ daikon slaw near the upper top of the rice paper. Top with some fresh chives, if you have them, and some of the grilled pork. Do not overstuff them or else the rice paper will break. Roll the rice paper over the veggies and tuck the sides in (see tutorial below).

Vietnamese Crepes/ Banh Xeo

Banh Xeo is often called the Vietnamese Crepe, although they do kind of look like them, they taste extremely different. A couple weeks ago my family and I were SO excited to see that Anthony Bourdain made a visit to Vietnam. But what REALLY made our day was seeing him eat at the exact same place in Vietnam that we ate for Banh Xeo! Hearing him gush about his love for Vietnam, the people, the food, the country really made me miss my own experiences in my native country. I can't wait until I get to visit again, it really is extraordinary and the food? Completely out of this world.

Banh Xeo usually consists of a rice flour/ coconut milk batter filled with thinly sliced pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts. Since for some reason I absolutely abhor bean sprouts my mom used thinly shredded daikon instead, which was even MORE delicious!

Banh Xeo/ Vietnamese Crepes

Yields: Enough for four

Printable Recipe

1 1/2 cups of rice flour

1 can of coconut milk, Chaokoh brand preferably 

1 tsp powdered tumeric

4 green onion stalks, sliced

1/2 lb. of pork, thinly sliced 

1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

1 daikon, peeled and thinly shredded

1 cup of raw shrimp

olive oil

salt and pepper

fresh romaine lettuce, mint, and cilantro

Nuoc Cham:

1/4 cup sugar

the juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup fish sauce

1/2 cup water

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 carrot, thinly sliced or julienned (depending on your preference)

1 -2 tsp. chili paste, I used Sambal Oelek brand

In a large bowl combine the rice flour, coconut milk, tumeric and green onions, mix well and set aside. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced pork and cook for about 5 minutes, then add the onions and cook together until pork is completely cooked and onions are translucent, about another 8 - 12 minutes. Set aside. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large pan over medium high heat. Add about 1 ladle full of the batter. Wait about 30 seconds before adding a handful of the daikon, some pork, and some shrimp. Cook about 5 more minutes until the shrimp is fully cooked, fold in half and place on a plate. Repeat, using more olive oil as necessary. For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, adding more ingredients to your taste. To eat, add bunches of herbs and lettuce to the crepes and pour some sauce over. Enjoy! 

The rice flour/ coconut batter.

Thinly sliced cooked pork with onions, salt, and pepper.

Fresh shrimp seasoned with salt and pepper.

Shredded fresh daikon.

Fresh lettuce, mint, cilantro, and Vietnamese herbs.

Grilled Pork with Vermicelli Noodles

One reason I like keeping a blog is merely for that fact that my brain retains memory like an elephant. A bad quality indeed for a future medical student! But it's also bad when I have to recall recipes, such as which ones that I like, what I should change next time, and so on. And you can imagine it's even worse when my mother recites her from-memory-authentic-Vietnamese-recipes to me. Since I always, always have my beloved Macbook with me (it's like my conjoined twin), blogging has made it easier for me to record, store, and organize things I've made, enjoy looking at, or plan to make in the future. It makes me happy that when access to my mom at all times ceases, I will have her heart and her recipes buried deep within the archives of the internet. 

This grilled pork dish is one of my favorites. Whenever we have large family gatherings (and they are very, very large), we often cook this dish. It's simple, easy, healthy, and delicious. The charred grilled pork is balanced nicely with the refreshing and crisp lettuce and mint while the sauce (Nuoc Cham) is slightly sweet, spicy, salty, and pungent (and trust me, in a good way). 

Grilled Pork with Vermicelli Noodles and Nuoc Cham

Yields: Enough for 4

For the pork:

2 lbs. of pork shoulder, thinly sliced

8 cloves of garlic, minced

4 tbsn. sugar

5 tbsn. fish sauce

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

For the sauce (also known as Nuoc Cham):

1/4 cup sugar

the juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup fish sauce

1/2 cup water

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 carrot, thinly sliced or julienned (depending on your preference)

1 -2 tsp. chili paste, I used Sambal Oelek (pictured below)

1 package of rice vermicelli, also titled "Bean Thread"

1 head of butter lettuce

1 bunch of mint

olive oil

Mix the thinly sliced pork with the rest of the ingredients. Let it marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes. If you let it marinate for longer than 1 hour, set the meat in the refrigerator. Before cooking the meat, allow it to come to room temperature. When ready, heat up your grill to medium-high and place the meat on it. Cook until the pork is cooked through and charred well on both sides, about 5 - 10 minutes. 

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the vermicelli noodles and cook until tender, about 2-4 minutes. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process, set aside.

To make the sauce, combine all ingredients and mix well. Keep in mind that this sauce can vary from family to family so use my recipe as a starter, and adjust to your liking by adding more of less of each ingredient. Add the carrots and allow them to soak within the mixture. If there is extra you can jar it and keep it in the refrigerator for several days, it is great with eggrolls! (Don't be afraid by the strong smell, it's VERY delicious!)

To assemble, find a plate or bowl and place the noodles in the bottom. Top with the grilled pork and tear a bunch of lettuce and mint on top. Drizzle with the sauce and enjoy!