A nem nướng platter: grilled nem, fried rice paper, greens and sauce · Photo: Letruongan1122 / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
VietnamNha TrangNem Nướng Ninh Hòa: The Charcoal-Grilled Pork Rolls Nha Trang Is Proud Of
Born in Ninh Hòa just north of Nha Trang, nem nướng is minced pork grilled over charcoal, then rolled in rice paper with fresh greens and a crunchy strip of fried rice paper and dipped in a thick, house-made sauce. Here is its story, how it is made, the secret of the sauce and how to eat it.
From Ninh Hòa to Nha Trang
Nem nướng means "grilled nem", and it is a speciality of the Ninh Hòa area in Khánh Hòa Province, north of Nha Trang. Most of the nem nướng sold in Nha Trang itself is advertised as Ninh Hòa style, so "Nha Trang nem nướng" and "Ninh Hòa nem nướng" are used almost interchangeably. Nobody knows exactly when it was first made. According to Việt Nam News, local elders say it was brought by people who migrated from Thanh Hóa in north-central Vietnam, and the hand-made technique has been passed down for about a century. The same outlet reports that it was named among the Asia Book of Records' "top 10 specialties of Việt Nam 2023".
Pork Paste Grilled Over Charcoal
The ingredients are simple. Lean pork, usually rump or shoulder, is finely ground or pounded, seasoned with garlic, pepper, fish sauce and sugar, and worked for around 30 minutes until sticky and elastic. The paste is then pressed onto bamboo skewers or shaped into long sticks and grilled over charcoal, turned slowly until golden and fragrant. Good nem nướng is lightly charred and savoury outside, bouncy and juicy inside. The paste has to be worked long enough so it holds together on the grill and keeps its springy bite, which is where a cook's skill shows. On the street, the smoke and aroma rising from a charcoal brazier often act as the shop sign.
The Thick House Sauce That Makes the Dish
Some say the sauce is the real star of nem nướng, and it is where each shop keeps its secrets. In the method described by Việt Nam News, glutinous rice is soaked overnight and ground, then simmered for five to six hours with soy bean sauce, tomato, minced lean pork, pig's liver, fresh shrimp, sugar, garlic, chilli and peanuts, stirred constantly until sweet and rich. Recipes vary. Some cooks reduce fermented soybean paste and minced pork with coconut water, and some add pineapple for sweetness. What they share is that this is not a thin fish-sauce dip but a thick, orange-tinted sauce. With its sweetness and the savoury depth from the shrimp and liver, it tastes nothing like pungent fermented sauces such as mắm nêm.
Roll It With Crunchy Fried Rice Paper
Like Saigon's gỏi cuốn, nem nướng is a roll-your-own meal. Dip a sheet of rice paper briefly in water to soften it, lay on greens such as lettuce, basil, perilla, cucumber, green banana, sour star fruit and garlic chives, then add a few pieces of grilled nem and one crunchy strip of fried rice paper (bánh tráng chiên). Roll it up, dunk it in the house sauce and eat it in one go. That fried rice paper is the charm of the Ninh Hòa style, a burst of crunch inside the soft roll. According to Việt Nam News, it often comes from rice paper villages in nearby Diên Khánh. Some shops also add green mango or pickled vegetables to the platter.
Where to Eat It, and Nem Chua to Take Home
In Nha Trang you will find nem nướng shops easily around Xóm Mới market and along Nguyễn Thiện Thuật Street, where stalls set up in the evening. It works as a full lunch or as part of an evening wander through the stalls. One order brings nem, greens, rice paper and sauce together, which suits two people sharing. Before you leave, look out for nem chua. Locally, "Ninh Hòa nem" refers not only to grilled nem nướng but also to nem chua, a tangy fermented pork mixed with pork skin, garlic and fresh chilli and wrapped in banana leaves. Sold in strings of small bundles, it is a popular souvenir. Since it is fermented raw meat, check how to store it and its use-by date.