This sauce is made famous in Nha Trang, Vietnam; or better yet, my birthplace in VN. The dish is actually known as Nem Nuong Ninh Hoa (province). It is a must have when visiting Nha Trang. The special is not about the grilled pork, but their famous sauce that goes with it.
It is thick texture sauce that’s made of sweet rice, pork, pork liver, fish sauce, annato oil, garlic, and sugar. Sweet, salty, bold tasting sauce that combines perfectly with the bouncy, crunchy, and fresh, cure pork loaf spring rolls.
Brodard Restaurant orange sauce for Grilled Pork Loaf Spring Rolls
Brodard Restaurant in Orange County, Ca, became one of the favorite Vietnamese restaurant in the area because of this special sauce served with their Nem Nuong Spring Rolls. They call it the Pork Loaf Spring Rolls. Although they kind of adapt the recipe to a more foreign palate, by not including the pork liver to the sauce, the sauce is still just as good.
But with the pork liver, there’s a very distinct difference in boldness to the sauce. It’s like have a pate sauce that adds that extra “mmmm’s” behind the whole “goodness” experience.
How to make Nem Nuong Sauce
This recipe is mainly for the dipping sauce. As the pork paste is actually easily accessible in Vietnamese supermarket now, I didn’t make this pork paste from scratch, rather I bought it premade. It saves a lot of time and also the taste and quality is no difference from making it from scratch.
The grilled cured pork loaf is bouncy in texture and is pinkish red from the salt cured. The bouncy meat is made from grinding up frozen pork. Which breaks down the structure of the pork and creates a finely grounded pork paste. There’s plenty of pork fat added to keep the pork moist and flavorful when it is grilled.
Nem Nuong Nha Trang Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
Nem Nuong Sauce
- 1 Cup Sticky/Glutinous Rice Washed and strain dry
- 1 Lit Water
- 1/2 Clove Garlic Minced
- 1/2 lb Ground Pork
- 6 Oz Pork Liver Pate
- 1/2 Cup Annato Seed Oil
- 1.5 Cup Sugar
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 2 oz Distilled white Vinegar
- 1/2 Cup Fish Sauce Add more to your taste
- 2 Tbs Hoisin Sauce
- 2 Oz Shrimp in bean oil paste
Instructions
Cook Congee
- In a pot:Cook the 1 Cup glutinous rice with 1 liter water & 1 tsp salt.Simmer on medium heat for about 15-20 min.Skim away any foam that floats to top.
Cook up the Sauce
- In separate pot/pan:Add the Annato seed oil.
- stir fry in:the minced garlic, ground pork, pork liver pate, shrimp paste, sugar & fish sauce.mesh out the pork and liver paste.simmer on low for 2-3 min.
- Add the stir fry ingredients to the congee.mix well while still on small to medium heat.simmer on low for 10 min.
- Add more fish sauce/sugar to match your taste.
- If you have a hand held blender, you can blend right in the pot.Otherwise let cool and blend in blender for a cremier sauce.You don't have to blend if you choose to eat the sauce that way.
- Serve sauce warm.
