Nem Nuong Cuon Sauce (Brodard's Style)
Nem Nuong Cuon Sauce (Brodard's Style)
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup glutinous rice, soaked for at least 1 hour, or overnight
- 1/2 cup ground pork
- 2 tablespoons shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 3 cups water, or up to 4 cups for a more diluted sauce
- 2 teaspoons liquid seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce, to taste
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, to 3 teaspoons, to taste
- 1/2 tablespoon mushroom seasoning, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon annatto oil, to 2 tablespoons, optional, for color
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water for slurry, as needed
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil, as needed for sautéing
Instructions
- 1
Begin by soaking the glutinous rice in water for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight. This step significantly reduces cooking time and helps achieve a smoother consistency.
⏱️ 60 min
- 2
In a medium pot, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min
- 3
Add the ground pork to the pot. Break it up with a spoon and stir in the liquid seasoning, paprika, and black pepper.
⏱️ 1 min
- 4
Continue to sauté the ground pork for about 5 minutes, until it is mostly cooked through and no longer pink.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Drain the soaked glutinous rice and add it to the pot with the pork mixture. Pour in 3 cups of water. If you prefer a more diluted sauce, you can add up to 4 cups of water at this stage.
⏱️ 1 min
- 6
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low-medium. Place the lid slightly ajar on the pot to retain moisture while allowing some steam to escape. Let the rice and pork cook down until the mixture reaches the consistency of a thick congee. This process can take 30 minutes or longer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 30 min
- 7
Once the congee-like mixture is thick and the rice is very soft, remove the pot from the heat. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender.
⏱️ 2 min
- 8
Blend the mixture until it is completely smooth. The longer you blend, the more liquid the sauce will become. If the sauce is too thin for your liking, prepare a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Return the blended sauce to the pot, bring it to a simmer, and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry until the desired thickness is achieved.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Return the sauce to the pot over low heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 2-3 teaspoons of granulated sugar, and 1/2 tablespoon of mushroom seasoning. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings as needed, adding more fish sauce, sugar, or mushroom seasoning to your preference.
⏱️ 3 min
- 10
For an optional vibrant color, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of annatto oil.
⏱️ 1 min
- 11
Serve the Nem Nuong Cuon Sauce hot. It pairs perfectly with fresh spring rolls or as a dipping sauce for various Vietnamese dishes.
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Nem Nuong Cuon Sauce (Brodard's Style)
- 1/4 cup glutinous rice, soaked for at least 1 hour, or overnight
- 1/2 cup ground pork
- 2 tablespoons shallot, minced
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 3 cups water, or up to 4 cups for a more diluted sauce
- 2 teaspoons liquid seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce, to taste
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, to 3 teaspoons, to taste
- 1/2 tablespoon mushroom seasoning, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon annatto oil, to 2 tablespoons, optional, for color
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water for slurry, as needed
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil, as needed for sautéing
Instructions
- 1
Begin by soaking the glutinous rice in water for at least 1 hour, or preferably overnight. This step significantly reduces cooking time and helps achieve a smoother consistency.
⏱️ 60 min - 2
In a medium pot, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
Add the ground pork to the pot. Break it up with a spoon and stir in the liquid seasoning, paprika, and black pepper.
⏱️ 1 min - 4
Continue to sauté the ground pork for about 5 minutes, until it is mostly cooked through and no longer pink.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Drain the soaked glutinous rice and add it to the pot with the pork mixture. Pour in 3 cups of water. If you prefer a more diluted sauce, you can add up to 4 cups of water at this stage.
⏱️ 1 min - 6
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low-medium. Place the lid slightly ajar on the pot to retain moisture while allowing some steam to escape. Let the rice and pork cook down until the mixture reaches the consistency of a thick congee. This process can take 30 minutes or longer, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
⏱️ 30 min - 7
Once the congee-like mixture is thick and the rice is very soft, remove the pot from the heat. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender.
⏱️ 2 min - 8
Blend the mixture until it is completely smooth. The longer you blend, the more liquid the sauce will become. If the sauce is too thin for your liking, prepare a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Return the blended sauce to the pot, bring it to a simmer, and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry until the desired thickness is achieved.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Return the sauce to the pot over low heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 2-3 teaspoons of granulated sugar, and 1/2 tablespoon of mushroom seasoning. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings as needed, adding more fish sauce, sugar, or mushroom seasoning to your preference.
⏱️ 3 min - 10
For an optional vibrant color, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of annatto oil.
⏱️ 1 min - 11
Serve the Nem Nuong Cuon Sauce hot. It pairs perfectly with fresh spring rolls or as a dipping sauce for various Vietnamese dishes.