Hanoi Crisp Parcels

Name: Hanoi Crisp Parcels (Nem Rán Hà Nội)
Yield: Serves 4-6 as part of a Shared Meal
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons ground white pepper; 1 tablespoon caster (superfine) sugar; 1 tablespoon fish sauce; ½ onion, finely diced; 1 iceberg lettuce, leaves separated; vegetable oil, for deep-frying; 1 egg white, lightly beaten; 20 dried round rice paper wrappers (20 cm/8 inch diameter); 200 g (7 oz) raw small tiger prawns (shrimp), peeled and deveined, roughly chopped; 40 g (1½ oz) dried bean thread (glass) vermicelli noodles; 40 g (1½ oz) dried wood ear mushrooms; 200 g (7 oz) crabmeat from your fishmonger); 200 g (7 oz) minced pork; 1 large handful Vietnamese mint leaves; 250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) dipping fish sauce; 1 large handful perilla leaves; 1 large handful mint leaves

Nem Rán Hà Nội

Preparation info

Serves
4-6
as part of a Shared Meal

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Songs of Sapa

By Luke Nguyen

Published 2009

About

IN THE SOUTH WE CALL THESE CRISP PARCELS CHA GIO, AND IN THE NORTH THEY ARE CALLED NEM RAN AND ARE ROLLED MUCH LARGER. THESE CRISP PARCELS ARE TRADITIONALLY SERVED TOGETHER WITH BUN CHA, CHARGRILLED PORK PATTIES.

Ingredients

40 g (1½ oz) dried wood ear mushrooms
40 g (1½

Asia
Vietnam
Hanoi
Dinner
Side dish
Starter
Southeast Asia
Gluten-free

Method

Put the mushrooms in a bowl, cover with water and soak for 20 minutes, then drain and thinly slice. Soak the bean thread vermicelli in water for 20 minutes, then drain and use kitchen scissors to cut into 4 cm (1½ inch