Nem thinh is considered a famous dish in Thanh Hoa. According to the locals, nem thinh is made from raw pork and thinh. Thinh is made from rice or corn, roasted until golden brown and fragrant, then ground or pounded into powder.

Although it is naturally fermented without any processing steps, nem thinh has its own flavor, different from the sour nem commonly found in Thanh Hoa.

The combination of raw pork, rice powder and typical leaves such as guava leaves, ginseng and many familiar spices such as fish sauce, chili, garlic, pepper,... helps nem thinh have a slightly sour taste, with the characteristic aroma of fermented fresh meat.

Thanh Hoa fermented pork roll 0.jpg
Guava leaves must be selected as young leaves, not too old or too young. Photo by Ngoc Vi

Ms. Nguyen Thi Dung (Nghi Son town, Thanh Hoa) said that the process of making nem thinh requires meticulousness and sophistication. In particular, the selection of input materials is considered the most important step, determining the quality.

“The pork must be lean, without fat, fresh and warm, and taken the same day. The rice used to make the bait must be good sticky rice or regular rice, with round grains, not too white or too yellow. Guava leaves and Polyscias fruticosa leaves to enhance the aroma of the spring rolls must be selected, not too old or too young,” said Ms. Dung.

According to Ms. Dung, pork for nem thinh will be cut into bite-sized pieces, mixed with shredded skin. Previously, the skin cutting process was very difficult because it had to be done by hand, ensuring the skin fibers were small and mixed well with the meat and spices.

However, nowadays, in facilities that produce large quantities of nem thinh, slicing the skin has become more convenient thanks to the application of modern machinery to save time, reduce effort while still ensuring productivity.

Pork and skin are mixed with spices. Video: Ngoc Vi

After preparing the ingredients, people mix the meat, skin with spices such as seasoning powder, fish sauce, chili, pepper, minced garlic (depending on taste), then add fragrant roasted rice powder and mix together. This step must be done evenly.

Next, people shape the spring rolls into balls of appropriate size and wrap them in banana leaves, with a plastic bag inside to allow the spring rolls to ferment naturally. Wrapping the spring rolls also requires meticulousness and care to ensure that the spring rolls are tightly wrapped.

“The person making the spring rolls must wrap them tightly, otherwise the spring rolls will leak, leak water and not be able to cook,” said Ms. Dung.

The spring rolls are tightly compressed in plastic bags before being wrapped in banana leaves. Photo: Ngoc Vi

After wrapping, people put the spring rolls in a dry, cool place or hang them in the kitchen. After about 2-3 days, the spring rolls will be ripe, with just the right amount of sourness, and can be enjoyed immediately.

Many diners who have tasted this dish commented that nem thinh has a slightly sour taste from fermented pork and the characteristic aroma of roasted thinh. When eaten with guava leaves, ginseng leaves and chili sauce or fish sauce, the meat in the nem will be more fragrant and delicious.

On the market, nem thinh currently costs from 25,000 - 50,000 VND/piece (depending on quantity and location).

Although considered a famous specialty in Thanh Hoa, nem thinh is also quite "picky" with customers because this dish is not cooked by heat but only goes through a natural fermentation process.

Some diners admit that nem thinh is a dish that "sounds scary" but is addictive. However, people with weak stomachs and often have stomach and digestive problems should consider when using this dish.

A guest sitting on the sidewalk in Hanoi, ate a dish, and praised it as "the best in Vietnam" . Arriving in Hanoi, a guest of mixed Vietnamese and Pakistani blood enjoyed a dish of crab noodles and continuously praised it as delicious.