P2 The Central Nem Lụi

What is unique about nem lụi in Hue, Da Nang and Quang Ngai?

Nem Lụi Huế

The first variation is soft and subtle: nem lụi Huế. People from Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien – Hue are hooked on this variation.

According to Dai Nam Quac Am Tu Vi, a 19th-century Vietnamese dictionary by scholar Huynh Tinh Cua, “lụi” means “to skewer it and grill it”, while “nướng” means “to roast it over fire”. Clearly “lụi” is more precise than “nướng”, but the southern provinces prefer the word “nướng” maybe because of its high-pitched sound which is catchy and easy to say.

Nem lụi Huế ditch the ram (fried rice paper rolls), perhaps because Hue’s ladies don’t want to make a noise while eating? Green bananas are swapped with figs – a cherished fruit of the Quang – Hue region. Young green mustard – another delicacy is also in. 

The young green mustard and fig are like a subtle spice, a sneaky kick that makes the other flavors pop. They resemble a Hue girl, who is sweet and charming but also witty and smart. She can speak one thing that dazzles the guys, but before they catch their breath, they melt in her charm.

The light brown nước lèo is as creamy as peanut butter, not gooey but velvety. It smells of fermented soy and soy sauce, with tiny bits of liver and minced meat bobbing gently under a layer of golden roasted sesame. Mind you, the local slang calls it nước lèo that means broth, not nước chấm (dipping sauce) like the other regions.

Hoang Thi Kim Cuc dedicated her life to teaching home economics at Dong Khanh School for girls in Hue for decades. Her book “Cooking Hue Food” (1943) is revered by many who want to cook the real Hue food. In this book, Ms. Kim Cuc reveals the secrets of nem lụi Huế in detail. I was astonished to learn that she made the pork patties with roasted rice powder, pork skin and no fat at all. 

I imagine people back then began by grilling the fermented patties for nem lụi, then found out that roasted rice powder and pork skin were needless when grilling the patties on the spot. They also realized that fat helped to preserve the patties’ juiciness. And so they adjusted by sprinkling the rice powder and pork skin, and adding fat to create today’s nem lụi version.

If Vu Bang’s “Miếng Ngon Hà Nội” (Hanoi: A Bite of Heaven) makes me feel a passionate love for food, then “Cooking Hue food” makes my heart imbued with a smoldering love. The craving for Hue food always arises and torments me every time I read Ms. Cúc’s book. 

If I had been blessed with a wonderful poetic talent like Han Mac Tu, I would have penned a love poem to Hue food as romantic as his poem “Here in Vi Da village” to the gorgeous Kim Cuc.

Nem Lụi Đà Nẵng

There’s an old saying in Vietnam: “Quang Nam likes to argue, Quang Ngai likes to resist”. Quảng Nam people are known for their fiery debates and hearty appetites. And nothing reflects their spirit better than nem lụi Đà Nẵng, a dish that combines grilled pork and grilled beef. 

Quang Nam is one of the six provinces where cows are raised the most in Vietnam. They have apparently taken this advantage to make their nem lụi rolls more spectacular by adding two extra goodies: grilled beef and grilled beef with lolot leaves.

Both are grilled beef, but they are worlds apart in flavor. Why? The lolot leaves are the secret ingredient. These leaves are heart-shaped, glossy green, and pungent because they contain essential oils. The lolot leaves not only act as a shield for the beef from drying out when grilling, but also add some oil to give the beef a hint of minty freshness. 

The other grilled beef is like a firework of flavor with lemongrass and chili. One subtle, one spicy, both help to make the roll of nem lụi more lively and rich. Delicious!

Quang Nam is one of the six provinces that raise the most cows in Vietnam. Therefore, if you want to eat nem lụi like a true Quang Nam native, you need to beef up your order. Literally. Trust me, it’s worth every penny. And every calorie.

Ram Thịt Nướng Quảng Ngãi

If you’re looking for nem nướng in Quang Ngai town, you won’t have to walk far. Along a few main streets, there is a cluster of shops selling ram thịt nướng. Yes, that is the name people call it here. 

And here’s the twist: ram (fried rice paper rolls) in Quang Ngai is not vegetarian. It’s packed with delicious fillings that will make your mouth water and your stomach growl. And ram steals the spotlight from grilled pork patties (chả lụi as the locals call them) in this dish’s name, revealing how much the Quang Ngai folks love their ram. 

Quang Ngai people are masters of using every part of their ingredients, creating dishes that are full of flavor and leave nothing to waste. Their ram comes in two types: shrimp and beef. The shrimp ram uses the white scallion bulbs and stir-fried pink shrimp, rolled into a delectable bite. The beef ram uses the green scallion stalks, which are rolled with minced beef seasoned with fragrant lemongrass, garlic and pepper. Mmm!

The bamboo skewers holding beef, pork, minced pork patties and ram are dancing on the charcoal fire, releasing a mouthwatering aroma. Can you smell that? One by one, when done, they line up in the glass cabinet, looking both dignified as if ready for a parade, and tempting as if going to offer a magnificent show. 

Cucumbers, unripe bananas, lettuce, herbs and especially Quang Ngai’s tiny and fragrant chives are wrapped with grilled meat, pork patties and ram. The sauce is thick and glossy, loaded with minced shrimp and meat, shining like a jewel of red and yellow amber. A dollop of fiery red chili sauce is added for some heat. Golden roasted peanuts are crushed and sprinkled on top for some crunch. Now it’s ready. 

Dip the roll then take a bite. The savory and well seasoned meat, the fresh and crunchy vegetables, the pungent and aromatic chives, the sweet and tender shrimp, and the crispy and chewy rice papers, all craft a symphony of flavors and textures. The promise of the dancers in the glass cabinet has been fulfilled.

mlefood

Some surprising versions are coming up in the next episode. Do you have any guesses?