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Binh Dinh Shrimp Paste Ram, also known as Binh Dinh Freshwater Prawn Shrimp Paste Ram, is a Binh Dinh specialty you can't miss when visiting the land of 'I See Yellow Flowers on Green Grass'. With a simple yet incredibly flavorful recipe, delivering a crunchy, aromatic taste to the last bite, this is surely a dish that will captivate food enthusiasts when they come to Binh Dinh.
Binh Dinh Shrimp Paste Ram (Photo: ST)
'Chả ram' is the term used by locals in Binh Dinh or people from the central region to refer to spring rolls in the South. The preparation method is similar: rice paper wrapping on the outside, filling on the inside creating visually appealing rolls, then deep-fried in bubbling hot oil. Depending on the taste preferences of each region and the cooking traditions, the ingredients may vary.
Binh Dinh Shrimp Paste Ram is not as large as spring rolls in the South, typically tiny and cute, about the size of a pinky finger. This requires skill in rolling the shrimp paste. Only those who have been in the kitchen wrapping various spring rolls can fully understand the meticulousness required for this task. Binh Dinh Freshwater Prawn Shrimp Paste Ram only requires very simple ingredients, nothing fancy:
- Freshwater prawns, with sweet flesh and minimal fishy taste.
- Pork belly with just the right amount of skin and fat.
- Binh Dinh sun-dried rice paper.
- Purple onions.
- Seasonings: salt, fish sauce, cooking oil, MSG, garlic, sugar, pepper.
- Fresh vegetables: lettuce, cucumber, herbs.
How to make Binh Dinh shrimp paste ram
Step 1: Rinse the freshwater prawns thoroughly, peel off the shells and remove the heads. You can leave the tails if desired. Marinate the prawns with a mixture of salt, sugar, and pepper. Season to taste.
Freshwater prawns (river prawns) (Photo: ST)
Step 2: Clean the pork belly and dice into small cubes. Marinate with salt, pepper, sugar, and fish sauce. Let the seasoning soak into the meat for about 15 minutes, then stir-fry for approximately 10 minutes until the meat firms up.
Diced pork belly stir-fried (Photo: ST)
Step 3: Peel the purple onions, slice thinly, and sun-dry for about 15 minutes.
Step 4: Roll Binh Dinh shrimp paste ram. At this stage, you'll need to prepare a bowl of clean water, add a bit of vinegar or some lime or rice wine to make the shrimp paste crispy and fragrant. Rice paper usually comes in square or round shapes.
Rolling the paste creates various richly flavored pieces (Photo: ST)
To easily wrap Binh Dinh shrimp paste ram, use scissors to cut the rice paper in half to form a triangle shape. Once softened with a bit of water, place the rice paper with the bottom edge facing towards you, add some pre-stir-fried pork belly, place one or two freshwater prawns on top, and then spread thinly sliced purple onions on the top. Gently fold the right edge towards the center, then the left edge, and slowly roll from bottom to top until it forms a round roll. Arrange your finished products on a plate.
Binh Dinh sun-dried rice paper (Photo: Saly)
Rolling Binh Dinh shrimp paste ram before frying (Photo: Saly)
Step 5: Fry the shrimp paste ram. This requires skill in using oil and controlling the heat evenly to ensure the shrimp paste ram stays crispy for 3 to 4 hours. Pour oil into the pan to submerge the surface of the rolls. Turn on the heat to high until the oil boils. You can use a chopstick to test the oil. If there are bubbles around the chopstick, it indicates that the oil is hot. Reduce the heat to a medium flame, then add the shrimp paste ram.
After placing all the shrimp paste rolls in the pan to cover the surface evenly, reduce the heat to the lowest setting to ensure the filling inside is cooked evenly and crispy. Roll the shrimp paste rolls evenly until you see a uniform golden-orange color on all rolls. Place paper towels on a plate and transfer the shrimp paste rolls to drain excess oil.
Step 6: Wash the fresh vegetables thoroughly, and drain. Slice the cucumber. Finely chop chili and garlic, squeeze lime, add sugar, and mix with fish sauce to serve with shrimp paste ram.
Fresh vegetables to accompany Binh Dinh shrimp paste ram (Photo: ST)
There you have it, you've completed the Binh Dinh shrimp paste ram dish for a distinctive and flavorful family meal on the weekend!
Binh Dinh shrimp paste ram - an unforgettable delicacy from Binh Dinh
You can purchase rice paper to wrap Binh Dinh shrimp paste ram at local markets where residents from this region have settled in Ho Chi Minh City or order online from websites selling Binh Dinh specialties. Alternatively, you can also use other types of rice paper rolls to substitute. However, to save time in preparing ingredients or wrapping the paste, you can also buy pre-wrapped shrimp paste. Just fry evenly and buy some fresh vegetables, cucumbers to enjoy.
Binh Dinh shrimp paste ram - a memorable Binh Dinh specialty that delights diners from all corners (Photo: ST)
Binh Dinh shrimp paste ram is usually wrapped in fresh vegetables and cucumbers, served with sweet and sour fish sauce. Or it can be served with vermicelli to create the most famous and delicious Binh Dinh shrimp paste vermicelli in Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh.
Binh Dinh shrimp paste vermicelli (Photo: ST)
If you ever visit the land of 'Heavenly Martial Arts, Literary Land', you must not miss this rustic, exotic, and incredibly delicious dish. Binh Dinh shrimp paste ram will make your Binh Dinh tour unforgettable!
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