Fried Vietnamese Spring Rolls - Imperial Nems

Fried Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Nems)

I ate my first Fried Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Nems) in Paris more than a decade ago. Made my first Nems with my Chinese hostelmates (including the young man who now runs the Pho Fans - Viet Bistro in Shanghai). Since then I try to make them whenever the fancy strikes.

Dried Rice Paper

The recipe is really simple and the only labour comes from rolling the Nems, but it's well worth it since the whole family loves them.

Before being deep-fried

Vietnamese Nems :

Rice Paper (to be immersed in hot water till soft - and only just before being filled)

Minced Pork

Crab meat

Prawns (deshelled)

Onion (diced)

Carrots (julienned)

Bean Sprouts (optional)

Mung Bean Vermicelli (Tanghoon)

Black Fungus Mushroom

Egg

Salt

Pepper

Light Soy Sauce

Dry Sherry

Sesame Oil

Oil for deep-frying

Garnishing :

Salad Leaves (e.g. Iceberg)

Fresh Mint Leaves

Fresh Coriander Leaves

Fresh Laksa Leaves

Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce :

Nuoc Nam

Garlic (minced)

Carrots (julienned)

Chilli (julienned)

Lime Juice

White Wine Vinegar (optional)

Sugar

Plum Sauce (optional)

Water

The Filling

Marinate the meat etc for a few hours. I would put everything together except for the sprouts - only to be used as one fills up the rice paper.

I would also do the dipping sauce in advance, giving the ingredients time to really give flavour to it. It should be fresh, salty, acidic and sweet at the same time.

I would fry the Nems in 2 separate times as the rice paper skins take a while to cook and they do stay crispy for a longer time when they are fried twice. One way to keep the paper from bursting when being fried is to roll the rolls tightly removing air in between, and also to do them in batches in a frying pan - keeping each roll separate from the other. To cut down on the oil, I often fry the rolls for the 2nd time without oil in a non-stick pan just as I serve them.

It's really yummy the contrast between the hot/crispy Nem and the cold crispy salad leaf used for wrapping it. And the fresh herbs add even more flavour to the whole thing when you sandwich them between the Nem and the salad. Dip into the sauce and eat. If eaten as a starter, you'll need 4 to 5 rolls per person.