Chả giò

Chả giò, also known as nem rán, is a beloved Vietnamese dish often served as an appetizer, particularly in Europe and North America, where there are significant Vietnamese communities. This delightful treat consists of seasoned ground meat, typically pork, encased in rice paper and deep-fried until it achieves a crispy, golden brown exterior.

The filling for chả giò can vary greatly but traditionally includes ground meat, mushrooms, noodles, and diced vegetables such as carrots, kohlrabi, and jicama. Other delicious variations feature ingredients like crab, shrimp, chicken, snails, tofu, bean sprouts, rice vermicelli, eggs, and an assortment of spices.

A less common but equally delightful version of this dish is chả giò rế. Instead of rice paper, it uses bánh hỏi (thin rice vermicelli woven into a sheet) for wrapping. Chả giò can be enjoyed on its own, dipped in nước chấm or nước mắm pha (a fish sauce-based dipping sauce), or served with rice vermicelli (known as bún chả giò) and fresh vegetables such as lettuce and coriander.

Notably, the preparation of chả giò can differ from family to family and region to region within Vietnam, adding a personal touch to its creation.

There can be some confusion around the term "nem" as its meaning varies depending on the region in Vietnam. In the north, "nem" refers to various rice paper rolls containing meat, while in the south, it specifically denotes ground meat dishes like nem nướng. Outside of Vietnam, chả giò might be confused with other dishes like egg rolls or salad rolls due to variations in English translations and adaptations in different cuisines.

In some restaurants outside of Vietnam, wheat flour sheets are used instead of rice paper to make chả giò, which can cause it to resemble Chinese egg rolls more closely. Despite these variations, chả giò remains a versatile and flavorful dish that beautifully showcases the diversity and richness of Vietnamese cuisine.