Rice Rolls are not a new dish, many provinces and cities have this dish. However, each place has a different way of making and eating it. In Nam Dinh, it seems that every alley has rice rolls, originating from Kênh Village.
Kênh Village was originally part of Tức Mặc District, the land granted by the Trần Dynasty, Nam Dinh. From ancient times, the soft, smooth, and moist rice sheets from Kênh Village have been brought to the King. The founder of the rice roll craft in Kênh Village was also granted the title of Village God.
The rice rolls from Kênh Village have a secret recipe. The villagers only pass on the craft to their daughters or daughters-in-law within the family. The rice used to make rice rolls must be Mộc Tuyền rice mixed with old rice (good rice from the previous harvest) in a secret ratio, then soaked and ground by hand using a stone mortar.
In Nam Dinh, there are also dozens of old rice roll shops, each with its own unique flavor. Today, people from Nam Dinh can name a few popular rice roll shops such as rice rolls from Nhà Thờ Alley, rice rolls from Bà Uyên on Minh Khai Street, rice rolls from Kênh Village on Trương Hán Siêu Street...
The common feature of Nam Dinh rice rolls is that the rice paper is thin and soft like white silk, with a yellowish color but still transparent, not white and cloudy. The rice rolls have a fragrant aroma of rice, especially the ones without filling, only with a little fried shallot sprinkled on top.
One of the oldest and most famous rice roll shops in Nam Dinh is Quán Độ Ngần located in a small alley on Quang Trung Street, Quang Trung District, Nam Dinh City. This eatery has been in operation for over 25 years.
The small shop is located on the first floor of an old house, with a few sets of tables and chairs and a red-hot stove for making rice rolls all day. One person expertly makes the rice rolls by hand, another person spreads the fried shallot and mushrooms on top, and another person adds a layer of oil to the rice roll. A scoop of flour is then added, and the person making the rice rolls quickly covers the pot, and then applies a layer of oil to the freshly made rice roll to make it shiny and soft.
Next, a layer of fried shallot is sprinkled on top. The layers of rice rolls are neatly stacked in a basket.
What's special about Kênh Village rice rolls is that they must be eaten cold, not hot. The thin and soft rice paper wraps around the fragrant fried shallot. The accompanying meat is also very fresh and has a unique flavor.
The dipping sauce is a traditional fish sauce mixed with a little vinegar, sugar, and a sweet and sour flavor. Customers can adjust the amount of vinegar, chili, and quất to their taste. The shallot served with the rice rolls is a type of shallot grown in the village, crispy and fragrant.
The price of a serving of rice rolls is from 20,000 to 50,000 VND.
