Nem Phung, which originates from Dan Phuong, is one of the most popular spring rolls in Hanoi.

“Nem Phung eats with fig leaves / Let people from all over the world remember for a while”, that’s a saying about the “loving” of spring rolls with tourists who have tried them. Not sold as popularly as other specialty spring rolls, the rustic spring rolls are still crept in the lives of the people of Ha Thanh, on the trays and drinking tables… The reason why the dish is called Nem Phung is due to its origin from Phung town, now in Dan Phuong district, Hanoi.

Phung spring rolls served with fig leaves. The spring rolls are tightly braided in banana leaves, so it is also called “nem spring”. Photo: Facebook Chicken feet Dang Khoa Hanoi

The nature of Phung spring rolls is a rustic dish, so all ingredients are simple and rustic, but meticulous processing is the key to the success of this specialty.

Ingredients for making spring rolls include pork and pork skin, glutinous rice and plain rice, soybeans, and fig leaves. The meat chosen to make spring rolls must be soft, with both lean and fat. The rice selected for hearing must also be delicious and a little yellow flower sticky rice. Pork is cut into sticks and then steamed in a water bath, filtered, fat and lean separately, then sliced. The meat is cooked rare, then use hearing to cook. Hearing is made according to the ratio of seven parts of plain rice, one part of glutinous rice and two parts of soybean. When roasted, it must be evenly and evenly heated to dry and have an attractive light brown color. Finished roasted rice is brought into the mill to grind until smooth until fragrant aroma is satisfactory for a batch of hearing .

Then, people make spring rolls mixed with skin and pork that have been filtered separately and chopped and covered with fig leaves, then wrapped banana leaves outside and tied into “spring rolls”. Therefore, when peeled, spring rolls are often braided together, when eaten, they are gradually separated to loosen.

What makes the name of Phung spring rolls is the combination with fig leaves. The flavor of spring rolls becomes more complete if rolled with this type of leaf, fragrant, acrid and crispy. Fig leaves are also selected equally sophisticatedly. Leaves too small will not be enough to wrap spring rolls, old leaves are tough. People who make spring rolls often choose fig leaves the size of half a hand, if there are more spots, the more fleshy they will eat.

When peeled off, the “nem” will slowly separate. Photo: Trung Nghia

Nem Phung is likened to a blossoming flower because when peeled, the banana leaf will slowly open and then the fig leaf, the pistil is the yellow part of the spring rolls that are tightly braided together. The taste of spring rolls is a unique combination between the fleshy taste of meat, the aroma of hearing and the acrid taste of fig leaves. Nem is usually dipped with yellow sauce or chili sauce.

Currently, Nem Phung has become more popular and is no longer as expensive as before, even being sold in many provinces and cities, at pubs as a snack and appetizer. Diners who want to enjoy can go to Dan Phuong, if in the inner city of Hanoi, visit the spring rolls shop in Hang Bun or some supermarkets and convenience stores. Follow vnexpress