Vietnamese Nems

Vietnamese Nems

Vietnamese Nems are the ultimate crispy-golden appetizer that turns any dinner table into a street-food feast. In this recipe you’ll learn exactly how to roll, fry, and serve these crowd-pleasing pork-and-shrimp spring rolls at home.

Crispy Vietnamese-Style Pork and Shrimp Nems - Recipes Pallace

Ingredients:

  • 20 round rice-paper wrappers (16–18 cm diameter)
  • 250 g ground pork
  • 150 g raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, finely chopped
  • 60 g dried glass (bean-thread) noodles
  • 40 g dried wood ear mushrooms
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 ½ tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions: Vietnamese Nems

  1. Rehydrate noodles and mushrooms.
    • Place the dried glass noodles in very hot water for 5 minutes. Drain well and cut into 4 cm strands.
    • In a separate bowl, cover the dried wood ear mushrooms with warm water for 15 minutes. Rinse, squeeze completely dry, and mince finely.
  2. Make the filling.
    In a large mixing bowl combine ground pork, chopped shrimp, rehydrated noodles, minced wood ear mushrooms, grated carrot, onion, and garlic. Add the beaten egg, fish sauce, soy sauce, black pepper, and sea salt. Using clean hands, mix until the mixture feels cohesive and slightly sticky—this ensures the Vietnamese Nems stay tightly packed once fried.
  3. Set up a rolling station.
    Fill a wide, shallow dish with lukewarm water.
    Lay a clean tea towel on a tray to absorb excess moisture.
    Keep another towel nearby for covering finished rolls to prevent drying.
  4. Roll each nem.
    a) Dip one rice-paper wrapper into the water for 4-5 seconds, just until it starts to soften.
    b) Lay the wrapper flat on the tea towel; it will continue to hydrate and become pliable.
    c) Spoon about 1 ½ tbsp of filling into a tight horizontal log one-third of the way up from the bottom edge.
    d) Fold the bottom edge over the filling, tuck in the left and right sides, and roll firmly toward the top edge to seal. Place seam-side down on the prepared tray and cover. Repeat until all filling is used (about 20 rolls).
  5. Fry to crispy perfection.
    Pour vegetable oil into a deep saucepan to a depth of roughly 4 cm and heat to 170 °C. Fry Vietnamese Nems in small batches for 6-7 minutes, turning occasionally with chopsticks or tongs until uniformly golden brown and audible-crisp. Transfer to a rack or paper towels and keep warm in a 120 °C oven while finishing the remaining batches.
  6. Serve immediately.
    Arrange hot rolls on a platter with large lettuce leaves, fresh mint, cilantro, and a bowl of nuoc cham dipping sauce. To enjoy, wrap a nem in lettuce with herbs, dip, and crunch!
  7. Optional pro tips.
    • Dab stubborn seams with a little egg white for extra adhesion.
    • For lighter yet shatter-crisp results, double-fry: 3 minutes at 150 °C, cool, then 2-3 minutes at 190 °C.
    • Freeze rolled—but unfried—nems on a tray, transfer to a freezer bag, and fry straight from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the cook time.

FAQ:

Q: Can I bake Vietnamese Nems instead of frying?
A: Yes, brush each roll lightly with neutral oil and bake on a wire rack at 200 °C for 25-30 minutes, turning once. While they won’t be quite as blister-crisp as frying, they still deliver plenty of crunch.

Q: What dipping sauce pairs best?
A: Classic nuoc cham—a blend of fish sauce, lime juice, water, sugar, garlic, and chili—is traditional. Peanut hoisin sauce or sweet chili sauce also complements the savory filling.

Q: How do I keep leftover rolls crispy?
A: Let cooked nems cool completely, then store in an airtight container. Reheat on a rack in a 180 °C oven for 10 minutes; the dry heat restores their signature crunch.

Conclusion:

Mastering Vietnamese Nems at home is easier than you think, and the reward is a platter of irresistibly crispy rolls that disappear in minutes.

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