While nem chua is eaten all year round as an appetizer or a side, it is eaten especially for the Lunar New Year by many families.
Nem chua possesses the local character of each region of Vietnam, due to the differing ingredients and sauces used.
Traditionally nem chua is made from minced pork, sliced pigskin and a mixture of seasoning and garlic. These contents are mixed thoroughly before being wrapped with aromatic, fresh leaves into small, boxy rolls before being stored for the fermentation process for three to five days in a cool place before eating.
In the Lai Vung District of the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, the locals take pride in their nem chua recipe, which has been passed down through many generations.
Called nem Lai Vung after the district, it became more widely known in 1975 when a local woman, Tu Man, made nem chua for visitors.
She used pork, but she also used pig liver, and then ground them into a mixture with rice, shrimp meat and seasonings.
The characteristics of nem Lai Vung and other specialty foods from Lai Vung District are so distinctive and recognizable that they have been registered under a domestic brand name.
Tourists to Dong Thap Province can take part in nem Lai Vung cooking classes to learn more about this regional specialty.
While many prefer the more traditional method of preparation for nem chua, others enjoy a grilled and unfermented variety of nem chua.
Both traditional and grilled nem chua are usually served with uncooked sliced garlic and nuoc mam (fish sauce).
Whereas nuoc mam adds saltiness and spiciness, some prefer to use chili sauce instead.
In the southern, coastal Soc Trang Province, nem mam is a local version of nem chua. Nem mam’s key ingredient is not pork, but salted snake-head fish, which is mixed with shredded green papaya, ground roasted rice, sliced galingale, a little sliced pork, and spices.
In HCMC’s Thu Duc District there is a neighborhood where many households produce the city’s nem.
To make nem chua, here the main ingredient is pork thigh.
This type of nem chua is best known to the expatriate community and international tourists who have taken an interest in Vietnamese cuisine in recent years.
The northern and central areas also create their own favorite varieties of nem chua.
Most versions of nem chua can be distinguished by their name, which is usually named after the area it originated from, such as nem Thanh Hoa, nem Dong Ba in the ancient royal capital of Hue, and nem Ninh Hoa in Khanh Hoa Province.
Reported by Diem Thu |
E-mail to a friend 
Print version
To top
