In addition to eel salad, goat meat, mountain snails, etc., Kim Son also has a rustic but equally famous dish that attracts customers with its unique and delicious flavor. That is chao chan gio (also known as nem chao).

Kim Son's nem chao dish is made from pork leg, combined with some familiar ingredients such as galangal, lemongrass, green mango, sesame and various herbs and leaves (polyscias fruticosa leaves, fig leaves, and perilla leaves).

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Nem chao is considered a specialty that tourists should not miss when coming to Kim Son, Ninh Binh. Photo: Thao Trinh

Ms. Nguyen Quynh - owner of a restaurant specializing in Ninh Binh dishes and specialties in Kim Son district said that to make delicious nem chao, locals often go to the market early to choose medium-sized pig's feet with fresh, supple meat.

You should not buy pig's feet that are too big because the skin is thick, the meat can be tough, when processed into nem chao it will not be delicious. If you want nem chao to be crispier, people use the front pig's feet because they have a lot of tendons.

After buying the pig's feet, shave off the hair, keep the bones intact and then roast them with sticky rice straw. This type of straw gives the dish a distinctive aroma.

“The pork leg meat used to make nem chao cannot be grilled with a blowtorch or wrapped in newspaper like the fake dog meat because it affects the quality and flavor of the dish.

Grilled pork leg with sticky rice straw is still the best, but straw is not always available. Therefore, depending on the time, conditions and preferences of each household, people can replace it with bagasse or charcoal," Quynh shared.

Kim Son nem chao dish requires meticulous and elaborate preparation. Photo: Le Thanh Huyen

According to the female owner, when roasting, you need to pay attention to the fire, ensuring even heat so that the skin is golden and fragrant, crispy and the meat is not burnt. After roasting the ham, scrape off the black layer on the skin, revealing a beautiful golden brown color. Then filter the meat and remove the bones.

In addition to the pig's feet, the accompanying ingredients are also carefully selected. In particular, galangal should be selected as young (not too old or too young), fresh roots, just dug from the ground to be fragrant and juicy.

After washing, people pound the galangal by hand and filter the juice to marinate the meat. The pulp can be kept, squeezed dry, and mixed with the chao to make the dish more fragrant.

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Grilled pork leg with straw has crispy, dark golden skin. Photo: Nem chao Rang Huong

In Kim Son, locals often marinate pork leg with galangal juice and a special spice, the leaves of the mần nước plant (also known as lan thảo, rosemary, or trach lan). This type of leaf has a characteristic aroma and is easy to eat.

“Depending on the culture of each region and the preferences of each family, people can cook pork leg by steaming or pan-frying. However, pan-frying is more popular because the meat retains its natural sweetness and aroma and does not absorb water,” Ms. Quynh added.

The female owner said that the pork leg can be pan-fried with mint leaves or lemongrass, lime leaves, guava leaves. The ingredients are placed at the bottom and the meat is placed on top, pan-fried until the meat turns dark yellow and smells fragrant, then removed and let cool.

Next, the ham hock is sliced ​​into very thin pieces. This step requires a bit of skill so that the meat is sliced ​​evenly, sticking to the skin, both delicious and aesthetically pleasing.

The process of mixing ingredients to make nem chao. Photo: Le Thanh Huyen

To balance the taste, people mix the pork leg with sour ingredients such as green mango or green star fruit, thinly sliced ​​or julienned, seasoned with a little galangal, lemongrass and salt. The pan-fried pork has a slightly pink color, when squeezed with galangal it will be slightly more cooked.

Wait for the pork leg to absorb the spices, then sprinkle with sesame, shredded lemon leaves... then mix well and enjoy.

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Soy sauce is considered the "soul" of a dish. Photo: Thao Trinh

In addition to the above ingredients, Kim Son spring rolls are even more delicious when enjoyed with tamarind soy sauce. Depending on taste, people can mix thick or thin soy sauce.

Diners who do not eat or do not like soy sauce can replace it with sweet and sour fish sauce, which is also delicious.

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Photo: Rang Huong spring rolls

Ms. Thanh Nga (in Hanoi) once had the opportunity to visit Kim Son and enjoy the famous specialty nem chao, commenting that the dish has an attractive appearance. The pan-fried meat is slightly pink, the skin is a beautiful golden brown.

“The dish of nem chao is served with herbs and leaves, so it has a refreshing taste, helping to relieve the feeling of fullness and cool the body effectively. Normally, I don’t like eating pork leg, but when prepared this way, I find it appealing, and I can enjoy it all week without getting bored.

The meat is soft and smooth, the skin is chewy and crispy, combined with special soy sauce, a little sour green mango and astringent fig leaves, very appealing to eat," Ms. Nga shared her feelings.

Eating a dish made from stone-ground flour, a Thai girl burst into tears and praised it as delicious. The first time she tasted it, a Thai female tourist and her group of friends couldn't help but admire the flavor of the rice rolls in Hanoi, praising it as delicious.