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Vietnamese cuisine never fails to impress travelers, offering a range from street food to gourmet dishes. This article introduces the renowned specialty rolled dishes from three regions of Vietnam.
Nem ran – Northern Vietnam's Signature Rolled Dish
The first delicacy Northern Vietnam proudly presents to guests is Nem ran – a gift not only cherished by Vietnamese people but also celebrated in the global culinary scene. It's a dish that Vietnamese across five continents often prepare to treat international friends.
Nem rán, voted as the quintessential dish of the Vietnamese, is crafted from a harmonious blend of ingredients including ground pork, wood ear mushrooms, vermicelli, carrots, onions, and eggs, all finely minced, mixed thoroughly, and expertly rolled in layers of rice paper.
The golden-brown crispy fried nem, served with sweet and sour fish sauce dip and fragrant herbs, is an indispensable part of the special Tet holiday feast in Vietnam.
Pho cuon – Delectable Rolled Dish from Three Regions
In addition to nem rán, people in Hanoi particularly adore pho cuon. The famous dish from Ngũ Xã village boasts a remarkably simple preparation. A large sheet of pho rice noodle is skillfully wrapped with a filling of well-cooked beef, fresh herbs, and enjoyed with a rich dipping sauce.
Banh trang rolls with pork – Delicious Dish from Central Vietnam
Those passionate about Central Vietnamese cuisine must be familiar with the famous fragrant and delicious banh trang rolls with pork. The main ingredients are boiled or crispy roasted pork belly, served with rice paper, fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, pineapple, starfruit, green banana, and more.
What sets this dish apart is the savory dipping sauce with a spicy, sweet, and deeply local flavor. Besides banh trang rolls with pork, when traveling to provinces in Central Vietnam, you can also indulge in other types of rolls like grilled nem and grilled nem.
Bo bia – Signature Rolled Dish from Southern Vietnam
Bo bia is one of the beloved simple dishes in the bustling land of Saigon. Affordable, delicious, and sweet, bo bia is a favorite snack among students. The filling includes water spinach, basil, jicama, and stir-fried small shrimps, pork belly, all wrapped in thin rice paper and dipped in spicy soy sauce.
Trang Bang dew-dried rice paper
The second contender in the South is Trang Bang dew-dried rice paper, a specialty of Tay Ninh. The rice paper used in this dish is elaborately made, coated with 2 thick layers, then dried under the sun before being grilled over fire. In the final stage, the rice paper is left to dew-dry at 3 am under the night dew.
Thanks to its meticulous process, Trang Bang dew-dried rice paper is beloved for its chewy, resilient texture and distinct salty taste. Another unique feature that adds to the fame of Trang Bang rolled rice paper is the various exotic forest herbs with all 5 tastes: sour, bitter, sweet, savory, fragrant, used as filling inside.
Spring rolls
Besides bo bia, spring rolls are another dish you should try when visiting the South. Spring rolls are made simply, with thinly sliced boiled pork belly, peeled shrimp, fresh herbs like coriander, thoroughly washed scallion leaves, cut into bite-sized pieces. This dish is delicious not only because of the perfectly proportioned filling and not overly stiff or chewy rice paper but also because of the well-balanced dipping sauce with the creamy richness of roasted peanuts.
Above are the most delicious rolled dishes from three regions and commonly enjoyed in the main meals of Vietnamese people. Vietnamese cuisine, though seemingly simple, is incredibly diverse and colorful. It always aims to satisfy even the most discerning palates.
Posted by: Giàng Thị Sua
Keyword: Signature rolled dishes from Vietnam's three regions
